A Cool Kind Of Punishment
by oosez
Summary: [AU] Rin, a happy, sweet, caring teenager... with an interesting job not prostitution!. What if she's paid to research a certain fluffy man in the name of money? Finding more about herself along the way, she will find that even truth hides itself.
1. Monday

Disclaimer: I own nada. NADA, you hear me? NADA! evil, evil laughter…

**A Cool Kind of Punishment**

Chapter One : Monday

Tap, tap, tap.

"Are you done?" a gruff voice asked.

The clicking continued.

"I asked you a question!"

Tap, tap… then silence.

Rin saved the file onto a floppy disk, before swiveling her chair around to face the gruff voice. A cheeky, self-satisfied smile on her face, she said "Am now!"

The adolescent boy, no older than 15 put his hand out to take the disk but Rin held it out of his reach.

"OK, now, you owe me $30 for just writing out and typing up your English Essay. If you fail, you get a full refund. For every mark you get over passing mark, you owe me another $2. So if you get full marks, you should owe me oh…" a look of mock-thought passed over Rin's face, "about $130. Credit and cheques not accepted. Think you can cough up the cash?"

The teenage boy shoved his hand into his pocket, pulling out several notes. Spreading them in front of Rin, he let her take $30 before taking back $100. In return, Rin placed the disk into his open hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you" she said smugly. The other boy grunted in reply. 'One would wonder why I help these morons… even **_I _**wonder why I help these morons'

"How will you know what score I get? And how should I give you the money?"

"I'll call you when the time arrives" Rin said cheerily before hefting her bag onto one shoulder and walking out of the school library

* * *

_Dear Diary, _

_Hi! I guess I shouldn't launch into my pathetic life before I introduce myself huh?_

_Well, my name is Rin, I'm turning 15 and I'm in the 10th grade. God, I'm bored, already, talking about myself. I mean, there are so many other things to talk about! Life, movies, boys… other people in general… What I'm trying to say, diary, is that I'm not good at describing myself. I'm not sure it's even possible to describe oneself. So I guess I'll just tell you about myself as I go, and you can make your own decisions…_

_P.s: I know you're just a diary, but once upon a time, you were a tree that provided me with oxygen!_

_

* * *

_

I ran into Port Street Preparatory Front Building. Late. Very late. Late enough to fail the test that started 15 minutes ago. Entering the Office, I scribbled my name onto a late pass, almost tearing the paper in my haste. Pass in hand, I ran - and **boy** how I ran! Fire probably started in my wake!

Panting as I made it to room 19, I burst in…

… knocking poor Mr. Cheavers into the wall. My hand flew to my mouth in horror. Out of all the history teachers I had to knock out, it _had_ to be the nicest one. Trust me to do that. Sure, we all had a test, but what I did could not be excused.

Wait… we did have a test didn't we?

Looking around, all I saw were people with textbooks in front of them, taking notes.

"What happened to the test?"

"Err… Rin? It's not 'til tomorrow," Theresa said, looking very worried but very amused at the same time.

"What?" All that running for naught? "Argh…" I groaned, banging my head against the door, only to hear a slight moan. Oh dear God, Mr.Cheavers was still wedged between the door and wall. Closing the door behind me, I checked to see if he was OK. He smiled at me genially.

"If you had wanted to do the test _that_ bad, Rin all you had to do was ask…"

The whole class groaned before glaring at me.

"No! Sir! I err… was late… and um… I didn't wanna miss today's history lesson!" I smiled and crossed my fingers behind my back, so the class could see and I heard a few chuckles.

"Alright, take your seat, Rin"

Sitting in the empty spot next to Theresa I heard "Lovely entrance, Rinz, if only you had hit Mr. Dillon instead", "Maybe he'll forget to give us the test tomorrow" and "You're such a klutz!"

Yes, I _know _it was a lovely entrance, yea, I'm hoping he'll forget about the test too and, really, I'm not a klutz! Bad things just happen around me. Things fall and break, things get lost and teachers get hit by doors. I swear, it's just a coincidence!

I guess you could call it a curse but I think it's just a balance. After all, many would say I've been blessed. I have an adoptive father who loves me and cares for me, a fabulous ring of friends (and a few on the side) and I'm acing all my classes.

Most people I know have told that I have a personality that goes hand-in-hand with my looks. Now, as I have told my diary, I'm not one to describe myself, so I'll just take the word of my good friends.

Apparently, I have gorgeous hair. Not that it's gorgeous anymore since I hacked it off to mid-back when it kept getting caught into _things_. Argh. Life is made up of _things_. Which is why my hair always gets caught. And which is why I hacked off about 30cm of it off. And I'm _always _having to comb it, like as if I haven't got better things to. And do you realize how long it takes to wash and dry? If I wanted to wash my hair in the morning I'd have to wake up at 5am! This, by the way, is like asking the Pope to wipe Satan's smelly arse.

Where was I?

Oh yea, me. Um… I have my mother's nose, apparently, but I all I have as a reminder is this old, tattered photo of her with my dad. They died when I was 6, murdered by a gang of hooligans looking for only a few bucks. I was with my neighbor at the time, but I don't remember much. I have brown eyes. Dull. A normal nose with a few freckles. Not that I mind the freckles, they're the only thing I like about my face. And normal pinks lips. I'm averagely heightened and slim. Not athletic. In fact, I'm a couch potato, and proud of it!

Most people say the most attractive thing about me is when I'm happy. Well it beats being an ice-queen. I wonder how ice-queens can stand being so alone. All my life I've been surrounded by people who love me, so I guess I wouldn't understand. All I understand is to smile.

"… hello! Earth to Rin!" Mr. Cheavers clicked his fingers. I snapped awake, realizing that I had been staring into my bag, the search for my pencil case made redundant by my thoughts. "Is there something wrong, Rinz?" he asked, using my nickname.

"Err… nothing, Sir, I just uh… was trying to find… um, this interesting… uh… article I found in the newspaper!" I said, improvising. I grinned apologetically.

"Oh? What newspaper and issue? I might just have it on my desk…"

"Yea, um… I forgot what it's about but I know that it was in…" crap, now I was in trouble. How was I to know what issue he had? Argh… maybe if I guess, the blessed gods above may be in a good mood today… "I THINK it was in last Thursday's Daily Telegraph, Sir"

"Really?" Oh no… he had a very evil smile on his face… oh please no… "Perhaps you would like to join me for the first ten minutes of recess to look through my copy and see if you can find it" which is basically just his corny way of giving me a detention.

Sighing, I took out my stuff (like _things_, **stuff **also makes up the world) and opened my textbook. Halfway through taking notes, the bell rang. I placed all my stuff into my bag, before pulling the single strap over my shoulder. Standing up, I waited for Theresa to finish packing.

We walked out of the room, keeping to the left side of the hallway when all of a sudden I was forcibly pushed into the wall. My bag fell from my right shoulder and my books and disks spilled out. Hurriedly shoving all my things back in, I ran up to the tall moron who had decided that I was a perfect bashing block.

"Hey! You!" I grabbed the arm of the idiot and spun him around.

Sesshoumaru. Of course, I should've figured it out from the white hair but rage tends to ignore such logical things. I growled.

"Aren't you gonna at least say sorry?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Why should I? _You_ bumped into _me_" I gaped incredulously at him.

"I thought you were acing all your classes! You should know that the Laws of Physics state that if I were to bump into you, I would _not_ have fallen down!"

"Rinz! Don't!" Theresa pleaded with me. Fat chance Theresa, but there was no way I was going to give in!

"Really?" Once again I growled.

"Look, just because you're the richest and most popular _bitch_ in this school" the crowd gathered around us gasped "doesn't mean you own the History corridor! I was just peacefully keeping on one side, 'til you came prancing along in the middle of the wide hallway! What, do you get kicks out of bullying those prettier than you?

"If you really want to believe that. What could you do if I _had_ done it on purpose?" My eye started twitching as he walked away, followed by the regular group of giggling girls and hanger-ons.

"Are you OK, Rin?" was heard all around me. Little Mr.I-think-I-am-Prince-of-the-School-Hallways-Sesshoumaru may have been the most popular, but he's icy cold. Most of the hanger-ons and popular girls considered him a friend. He considered them nothing. Whereas I, Miss-I-am-Cheeky-Sweet-and-Infectious-Rin consider everyone a potential friend. Except for the Mr.So-Mentioned-Above. Urgh.

I flashed a sweet smile "I'm fine, really, I just feel sorry for all the people who look up to him" Throwing a dirty look at his fading back, I continued on my way to Math with Mr. Dillon. Maybe I could pull the same trick and knock him out too…

I voiced my plan to Theresa and she started giggling like mad. Theresa is a great friend, she understands me. She doesn't judge, I guess that's what makes her so great to be around.

"Ladies" I slowly turned my head towards the voice, dreading what was coming. "I was wondering whether you were planning to come to class sometime soon"

"Of course, Sir" I said "I tripped and fell in the History Corridor" A voice inside the classroom could be heard.

"So you admit that it was your fault? And not mine?" Peeking into the room I saw… Sesshoumaru. Great. Either I could admit that I was 'wrong' or that I had lied to Mr. Dillon. Which one was the lesser of the two evils? I looked at Sesshoumaru's calm, smug face, then Mr.Dillon's-I-am-ready-to-give-you-detention-for-the-rest-of-your-life face. The class looked on interested. No doubt they had all seen my argument with Sesshoumaru… wait a moment. What was Sesshoumaru doing in **my** math class?

"Sir? What is Sesshoumaru doing here?" Mr. Dillon's eye twitched.

"Detention second half of lunch today and tomorrow for being late to class and speaking out of turn! Now go take a seat Ms. Tsuyame and don't make me repeat myself!" Maybe I really should listen to him. The throbbing vein on his forehead looked about five seconds from making itself into a bloody fountain. And this uniform is new.

Looking around, I saw Theresa already seated next to Pristine. The only spare chair was next to…

… the Ice Prince himself. Sighing, I made my way to the table, bringing my hand up in a mock salute and mouthing to the class 'Aye aye Capt'n!' Hearing the general laughter, Mr. Dillon called out my name.

"Rin?"

Spinning around so my hair caught the light, I smiled dazzlingly at Mr. Dillon. With my hand raised, I pretended as though I had merely held it up flick away stray hairs. "Yes, Sir?"

He eyed me suspiciously. "Make that a third detention after school today for that comment outside the classroom"

My mouth opened to tell him where to shove that third detention but I thought better of it and sat down instead. I sulked for five minutes before seeing a note land on my table.

'Don't worry, Rin-Poo! We still love you!' It was signed by everyone whom the note had passed through. Aw, shucks! Turning around, I mouthed thank you then gestured 'I Love you too!' earning a few warm smiles.

I turned back to my work, in a better mood, and the exercise was completed ten minutes before class. Mr. I-love-taking-Rin's-social-life-away had left a few minutes before to do watch over some Year 7 class so I glanced around. Everyone else was still bent over his or her desks, concentrating. I sighed and shifted back into my seat. I noticed Sesshoumaru, also finished. You can't blame me for what happened next. I was bored! My motto is 'Love 'n' affection!' Everyone is a potential friend!

"So why are you in this class all of a sudden?" I asked, not looking at him.

"The distance between first period and second period class was too much. I talked to the principal and now I'm stuck here with you"

"Great, so now I'm in English, Science _and_ Math with you"

"You think I don't share the same sentiments?"

"Who said I didn't? You still owe an apology by the way"

"… I don't"

"You do!"

"Look, I'm not going to argue over this childish matter with a childish person like you. I don't need to listen to you to get through life"

My mouth dropped open. Why that… ! I looked out the window, once again sulking. One minute went past… then two… God I was _so_ bored! I turned back to Prince Icy.

"Your brother is Inuyasha, right?" This seemed to be a more… safe start to conversation.

His eye twitched. OK… maybe not. I sighed. Only second period on a Monday and already I had received four detentions, I'd probably given my history teacher brain damage and I hadn't even been able to get a good conversation out of it all! The bell rang.

Yippee. My recess would be spent in the pleasant company of last Thursday's copy of The Daily Telegraph. Sigh.

What an interesting beginning to my week.

* * *

A/N: this is my first Inuyasha fic. A few notes. About Rin being hostile to Sesshoumaru, when I think of Rin I think of a sweet, cheeky little girl who loves just about EVERYONE. I see her as a person who will defend herself and her friends against a mean person. Of course, being caring person, she hardly ever holds a grudge and is always ready to make a new friend. Does that explain the fact that she was hostile to dear ol' sesshie, then wanting to talk to him?

I don't know if this is good beginning or not, so review me please!


	2. Parenthesis

Disclaimer: this unworthy one does not own Inuyasha. This unworthy one isn't even making a profit!

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

Chapter Two : Parent-he-(s)is

I collapse against the door of my home, my sanctuary. Detention with Mr. Cheavers went from ten minutes to two, considering I actually found a historical article in the paper. Mr. Dillon's detention however…

I grimaced as I raised my arm to put the key into the lock. Twisting it was agony.

… was Hell. Can you believe he made me do textbook transporting all by myself? I spent a _whole_ hour just carrying half a storeroom of textbooks to yet _another_ storeroom of textbooks. Not only will the airborne mould most likely kill me, I think I'm falling behind on homework now. Not mine. The homework of the idiots who pay me to do theirs.

_Hello Diary,_

_I suppose I should tell you about my dad huh? Well, to start off with, I'm adopted. When I was six my parents were killed by a wannabe gang looking for what little money they had. They were loading some stuff into the car, while I was playing in the backyard of my then-neighbor. I heard yelling and ran out to the front… where I saw some teenage shits stabbing my father, then my mother._

_I remember being at the funeral. I was wearing a simple black skirt and blouse with my hair in a headband. My real mother had always said I had hair that was meant to be left out. And that's when I started wearing my hair out, with only one pony for the front section to keep it out of my face. Now I've gone into the habit of two ponies instead of one._

_The few days afterwards are wiped from my memory. Perhaps I was at the orphanage. Or maybe staying at my neighbors until the arrangements were made. I don't know. The first memory I have after that of the funeral was being in a hospital in front of a bed with sick woman lying on it. It's a hazy memory but she was my adoptive mother. She had always wanted a child but had been battling with tumor. And so dad adopted me for the sole purpose of bringing her life meaning in those last few months. Everyday I used to come to the hospital and sit by her side and smile. For the first week I didn't speak. But I eventually warmed up to her and started to talk. Every night I would come home with dad, where he would collapse into a chair and start drinking. I would go up to my room and hide under the covers. For the record, my adoptive parents had bought that house only a few months before to prepare for a child, before she miscarried due to the tumor in her left lung._

_This continued for three months before my… mum died. I remember dad coming up to me - unshaven, red-eyed and alcohol on his breath. He kneeled in front of me and asked what I wanted most in the world. I don't know how I came up with such an answer, but I said that all I wanted was a father who loved me._

_And that's what I got._

_My dad. I don't know how to explain him. He doesn't judge me; he just loves me and cares for me. He's like a father, a best friend and a flat mate all in one. Are you getting me? He knows how I work. And vice versa. We are each other's pillars of support._

_I don't know what I'd do without dad._

I can't breathe.

My eyes flew open.

Why couldn't I breathe?

I moved my head… and found that I had been sleeping with my face down in the pillow. Very smart, Rin-Poo. Yawning, I turned over and noticed that I was still in my school uniform. I looked up at my Pucca clock only to see that it was 5pm. I groaned. I stayed back for one hour… it's a 20 minute walk home, but with added tiredness, I'd say it took half an hour… so I slept for a half hour? I swore to myself that I'd have to make up for it later. Loss of time meant loss of money… and a very angry idiot.

I groaned as I sat up. I might as well get started on dinner for two. My dad and I. I walked down the stairs into the kitchen and stopped. My dad was at the dinner table reading a newspaper.

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Why? Is it so important to have me come home later? You have a boy up in your room or something?" My mouth dropped open. I think there is something wrong with the hinges that hold it up. My dad laughed. "Mr. Smith decided to drop the charges against my client. There was no trial" I smiled.

"Dad, I think dinner's gonna be a bit late tonight…"

"Don't worry about it, I made a call to the pizza place while you were sleeping. What tired you out so much huh? You hardly ever sleep before midnight"

"Stupid Mr. Dillon gave me an after school detention! Can you believe he made me move half the textbooks from Storeroom 1 all the way to Storeroom 2?" Dad used to attend the same school, so he knew what I was talking about.

"By yourself?" My dad raised an eyebrow.

"Yea!"

"Maybe I ought to pay a visit to Mr. Dillon…" he paused "Why did he give you detention in the first place?" I swallowed.

"Because a- I was late to class, b- I asked him a question without raising my hand and c- I… uh… said something outside of the classroom..." I faded, not wanting to go into my run in with attempted murder.

"Something outside of the classroom?" dad prompted. I sighed and told him about my day. When I got to my run-in with Mr. Ice-Prince, dad started grinning like crazy, trying hiding behind his newspaper.

"… dad?", my voice dangerously low.

"It's nothing honey, seriously" I gave him a disbelieving look. He put up his hands in surrender. "I just remember that's how I met your adoptive mum"

"You bashed her into the wall and annoyed the hell out of her? What happened to old-fashioned sending flowers?" I asked, incredulous. He laughed.

"No, we started off hating each other" The doorbell rang. I shook my head as I went to get it. That night, after we ate pizza, drank Coke and I had a shower, we had a little night in. Our theme: Comedies.

But all the while we were laughing, my dad's words kept echoing in my head…

… _"We started off hating each other"_

"… Rin! **Rin**!" I opened one eye. My dad. I groaned and tried swatting at his face, but he just grinned and moved to the side. "Wake up, it's only Tuesday and already you look like you trampled through No Man's Land" I sat up and groaned.

"Dad… I don't feel good…" You'd think that hearing his daughter sick would make him worry, but all he did was grin.

"You're not getting out of school today, Rin" I clutched my stomach.

"Dad, I'm serious…"

"Yea, I know you are. I always knew there was a downside to pizza, coke and laughing. Now get up!" I collapsed back onto the pillows behind me and breathed in deeply. No way am I giving up a few extra minutes of sleep. I gasped as my dad lifted me up and hefted me over his shoulder. He walked into my bathroom (mine because my dad has an ensuite in his room, and there is no-one to share the bathroom with) and let me down in the bath.

"Dad wha- ARGH!" I shrieked as I felt cold water trickle down my back.

My dad grinned and walked out saying "Don't laugh too much today…"

I heard the front door slam, and his car pull out of the driveway. I sighed, once upon a time my dad used to offer me lifts until he finally figured I wasn't exactly a morning person. Standing up, I carefully stepped out of the bath - as to not slip – and began to get ready for school. I looked into the mirror.

God I was a wreck. My hair was all poofy and my eyes still wearied. I slowly made my way to my room and took my uniform off the hook. Although most girls at Port Street wore the grey box-pleated (that is, two big folds in the skirt, on the front and on the back, going towards one another) up to their pink, lacy, 'lil panties, I wore it so that it settled just above my knees. It gave me room to run and didn't let in too much a draught (or give the boys a good peek!). I looked out my window. It was sunny, so I decided to wear a short-sleeved white blouse instead of the long sleeved one. After buttoning it up, I started tying up my tie.

I grabbed my comb and looked into the mirror. I sighed; once again I would wage war on my hair. I started pulling the comb through the knots, and then pulled it through another few times to smooth the wispy bits of my hair down. Grabbing two grey hair ties I pulled half of the front section to one side and tied it before repeating the same process of the other side. I remember when I was around six or seven, I used to only do one. I still have the picture of myself back then on my computer table of me running through flowers.

I smiled and stood back to check myself. Although my eyes were still sleepy, I looked the epitome of Preppy. In fact, on further analysis, I looked like the average giggly school girl. I shook my head, grabbing my bag. I slipped on knee-high socks along with my low-heel school shoes. The ones with that big hole and only one buckle thingy. You know the one. I headed out, locking the door behind me.

I made it to school early today, walking through the front gates just as the bell went. I made my way to Roll call and sat next to Theresa and Pristine.

"Tell me we didn't have homework!" I whispered to her.

"Would it matter if we did? You probably did it all during lunchtime detention or something" She had a point there. I yawned, stretching my arms above my head.

"What do we got first?" I asked, mid-yawn. I was one of those very fortunate people who shares all their classes with their best friends. Gotta love that Guardian Angel of mine.

Skipping to recess, Pristine, Theresa and I were standing outside my open locker, when who else should come along to the locker corridor but the Ice Prince, his arm being sexually assaulted by Kagura.

"Oh god, you know, I found this _really_ nice skirt at the mall the other day but I didn't think buying it without your opinion would be wise…" she said superficially. "Are you free this Saturday?"

"I'm busy, probably until next get-lost-Kagura day" he said calmly, even though all could tell he was thoroughly annoyed.

"Just come with me to the mall to try on that skirt…" she pleaded, hurt. Sesshoumaru was obviously too gentlemanly to just make a run for it so he cast his eyes around the corridor, looking for someone to save him.

His eyes landed on me.

At first I considered walking away… but where's the fun in that? So I walked up to dear ol' Sesshie and tugged on a long tress of his hair…

"Oh Sesshoumaru…" I gushed enthusiastically. He looked thoroughly relieved to see that I was 'trying' to help him out. Kagura looked confused. "It's true; buying a skirt without your opinion would be an absolute _crime_… I think you two should really make a date of it. Goodness knows you'd be the best couple in the grade! That is, if he doesn't knock you to the wall in the middle of the History Hallway first" I added to her in a stage whisper. I turned around, walked back to my locker and slamming the door shut self-satisfactorily. I'm thinking that perhaps the roles have switched and now Sesshoumaru is thoroughly pissed, and Kagura thoroughly pleased.

"Teach you to knock me around," I said savagely to Pristine and Theresa, while walking to the garden.

"Rin… what was the point of that?" Pristine asked. I remembered she had missed first period yesterday, and explained what happened.

"Still, Rin… it's just gonna keep getting more hostile if you keep this up. He's Sesshoumaru! He shouldn't have to say sorry and you shouldn't have to expect it of him!" Theresa tried reasoning with me.

"He can't keep pushing people around, Theresa! Someone might get hurt! I'm not gonna stand around while he struts around like as if he owns the place!"

"Look," Pristine said calmly "We can understand why you wanna stand up for everyone. You're like the whole schools best friend! But he's him! He's rich and you know that one mistake and you could easily be thrown from this school"

"But that's it! He can't keep throwing money at his troubles and hope to make them go away! He's an asshole and I wanna teach him a lesson!"

"Rin! You're not a saint! You can't make a difference in the world by using violence and hostility! What do you hope to achieve by pissing him off? If you go far enough… he might found out," Theresa added the last part in a whisper. I looked at her considering and sighed.

"I just can't stand it when people push others around. It's not fair"

"We know, Rin, we know"

I flicked my hair out of my face and stared up into the sky.

… _"We started off hating each other"_

A/N: I know, not much but I swear next chapter has a bit of plot development. I've been wondering whether to put Sesshoumaru's POV into this story but I kept thinking that it'd be better if you all didn't know what he's thinking about Rin. Thank you to all the reviewers who reviewed me! It's much appreciated! Love 'n' affection to you all! hug And remember: keep reviewing!


	3. The Job

Disclaimer: This story is simply a twisted version of Inuyasha. In no way whatsoever do I own it and I am not making a profit… or am I!

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

Chapter Three : The Job

First half of lunch, Rin made her way to the school library, intent on starting on the other people essays. Filling the space under the computer table with her bag, she sat down and pulled out her school diary. Turning over the cover, she slipped her fingers under the soft leather and pulled out several hidden sheets of paper. As she skimmed over each page, she placed them on the keyboard in front of her. As she got to the last page, she placed it in her diary and stood up to throw away the other pages.

Returning to her seat, she took out the single sheet and read it. Placing it on the small space next to the keyboard she logged into her school user account and opened up a new Word Document. She chuckled.

"It's amazing how rich these desperate idiots really are" she said to herself as her fingers flew over the keys.

* * *

_Diary, I'm going to tell you a secret. The only other people who know are my best friends Theresa and Pristine._

_I have a job, and if anyone finds out, I could get expelled. Of course, I'd take down the morons who pay me down with me, but the point is, if I'm found out, I'll probably be forced to go to a public high school. I don't want that to happen. I've worked too hard to get dragged down now._

_I do people's Essays and Assignments. Not much, but the pay's good - about $100 or more for every one. Time though, is precious. I usually only take on one or maybe even two a week. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not doing it for the money, after all, I don't need it. My dad works as partner in a law firm. I'm doing it because being the naïve person I am, I believe I can start making these people study. Stupid theory I know. But what I'm planning to do is start jacking up the prices every time they come back. After the third go, I threaten them with what they've done, forcibly persuading them to start doing their own thing. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I know it's a stupid theory._

_I also have another job. I gather information. People's information, more importantly. Most of the guys ask me to get info on the 'hot chickz'. And vice versa. Valentines Day brings in a lot of business too. I know this is weird, but I get a weird thrill, knowing something that other people don't. Being able to sneak around so well. I may be a couch potato, but I'm quite agile._

_On the outside I may be a lovable person, but on the inside, am I just another freak?_

_

* * *

_

Fingering the single strap of my bag I made my way home at a leisurely pace. A normal person would probably have taken the shortcut, effectively cutting off ten minutes of the walk, but I liked walking the long way around.

While the shorter route is basically just a lot of cutting across grass and open areas, the long way has decent pathways and it passes beautifully kept parks and an estate. Not just anyone's estate.

The estate of Icy Prince himself.

Despite belonging to such a jerk, the grounds are surprisingly healthy. In the morning it's absolutely spell bounding. The dewy drops clinging to the leaves, grass and petals of the flowers – there's no other way to describe it – it's like an Earth-bound piece of Heaven. In the afternoon, with the sun setting, casting a golden glow over the ground, it looks so incredibly real, but so fake as well. Do you know what I mean? I hate saying it but… I think I envy Sesshoumaru. God help me.

My pace slowed as I pass, my eyes drawn its' beauty. I sped up as I made it to the other side of the estate and thought about my own home. I lived in a two-story house, with four bedrooms (I'm guessing that they were meant to belong to the children that my adoptive mother was planning to have),a bathroom on the top floor, kitchen, dining, living and rumpus room on the bottom story.

I slipped the key into lock, opening the door before making my way to my room, where just as I'm pulling a comb through my hair the phone rang. I went into the hallway and picked up the cordless then walked back into my room to continue combing my annoying hair.

"Rinz speaking"

"And Kagura on this end of the line" Kagura? What could she be calling about? Maybe she wants to know about my 'relationship' with Ice Prince…

"I'm calling about your… services"

I was shocked. I mean, contrary to her ditzy personality, she **did** pay attention in class. How did she find out about my homework services? It's only circulating around the… less intellectually inclined groups.

"I was wondering if you had some stuff on Sesshoumaru"

Wow, I was wondering when I'd get the call to research Mr. Supposedly-Hottest-Guy-in-the-Grade. Despite only attending Port Street Preparatory for three months (basically the first three months of the school year 1), no-one had paid me to stalk him yet. Perhaps they thought I would charge too much.

Or even worse, perhaps they thought I wasn't _good_ enough.

"No-one has shown enough interest in him for me to get some 'stuff' on him" I replied.

"Well I'm interested, and I've got a very big bank account" My eyes narrowed.

"Don't assume that I do this because I want or need the money" I said. "My reasons are my own and you are not to touch the subject"

"Fine, fine" Kagura said in a disinterested tone "How much will it cost me?"

"Depends, what exactly do you want to know?"

"Everything" Everything? Oh, this would cost my dear Kagura **_a lot_** "His likes, dislikes, what angers him, even what conditioner he uses… if you can do that. **Everything**"

"There's a down payment of $250, after all, I could get into serious trouble for this. Depending on the value of each piece I get you, I'll charge as I go. Is that fine with you?"

There was a pause.

"That's fine. But I don't want you spreading his information to every other sucker after him, you hear me?" I laughed.

"And what? Lose the major profits? Sesshoumaru is highly sought after, and once the news that I know about him reaches the grapevine, I'm going to be getting very generous offers…"

"Then I'll pay you 10 more of what they're asking just to keep you quiet. Is that good enough?" My, my, my. Kagura must have a _very_ big bank account.

"We'll see, darling, we'll see"

"I want whatever you can get as soon as possible"

"Of course, darling" I said, smiling as I hung up.

Having sufficiently combed out my hair and changed out of my uniform, I lay back on my pillows.

Sesshoumaru would be a very hard… project, notorious for his iciness as well as his sudden mysterious start at our school. Plus Kagura wanted the works, ASAP. I'm thinking perhaps I might have to put my homework services on hold.

Poor, poor morons.

* * *

A/N: Well there you go! Plot development! Sorry if it's a little shorter than the other chapters, but to add more would make it a bit… two part-ish, if you get me! 

1: In case you've wondered, the story is set in Australia, in a Private School. School here starts at the end of January. And seasons are as follows:  
-Summer: December, January, February  
-Autumn: March, April, May  
-Winter: June, July, August  
-Spring: September, October, November

Since they're just starting the second term, it's around the end of April. Hope that clears up any misapprehension.

**Punklunargoddess0: **lol you mean that furry thing that no-one has a clue about? Um, no he doesn't wear considering it'd be against school uniform policy hehe. But eventually Rin will start calling him by an affectionate nickname due to an unexpected Fluffy character Sesshie keeps! It's a secret though, so shhhh!

**Rayearthann: **Sorry about the short chapters, but to me, each chapter tends to focus on a part of her life and for me to add more seems to feel a bit two part-ish for me. Maybe only I can see it shrug

**Demoness: **thanks, I don't know if I can keep him in character much longer though, because I feel a modern version of Sesshoumaru would be arrogant and speak a bit more. Hope you don't mind!

**Nekurahime: **What about 'now'? lol

Thank you to everyone else who's reviewed! Your reviews keep this story going and a smile on my face! Thanks with lots of hugs and smiles are as follows:

**Blurry **

**IceSugarHigh**

**Tsukasa Chan**

**Angel64**

**Dogluva9200**

Remember to keep reviewing; otherwise the smile on my face will no longer be there!


	4. Principles

Disclaimer: yawn no owney. Me no owney!

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Four : Principles

Rin made her way out the library after checking a book out. Looking up, she saw Greg, a sheet of paper in his hand.

"I need you to do this for me"

Rin sighed. "I'm sorry, I can't do it. I won't be able to do any of that stuff for a while" starting down the stairs, Greg grasped her upper forearm tightly.

"You don't understand. I need it done… I have money!" Desperately, he pulled out a bundle of notes from his pockets with his free hand and threw them at Rin. In return, she gave him an icy look, before it dissipated into mere impatience.

"I don't do it for the money, Greg. I do it for another reason, but quite frankly, I have more important things to do with my time now. Why don't _you_ try earning your own pass for now?" Tugging free her arm, she made her way down the stairs out into the open. Greg followed her.

"How can you do this?"

Rin stopped but didn't turn around. "Excuse me?"

"How can you make us dependant on you? Then just stop?"

Rin turned around, pure regret in her eyes. "I did it because I thought that I could buy you all some time to study. To actually do something with the education your parents are paying for. Hearing you say that I made you dependant… Greg, have you ever stopped to think that it was your fault for depending on me in the first place? I'm sorry… but perhaps I was naïve in thinking that by wasting my time, I could help you make do with yours" Pausing, Rin bit her lip. "Do you understand me?" Greg shook his head.

"You've been going about this the wrong way, Rinz. The reason why we're all such idiots is because we don't understand. We need someone to explain it to us. While you've been wasting your time, we've been doing nothing because we can't do anything. We need help, not time," he said, before walking in the opposite direction.

Blinking in surprise, Rin walked away slowly.

Though she thought over the conversation over and over again, she couldn't figure out what Greg had truly meant.

* * *

_Hi Diary,_

_I can't help but think over what Greg meant by needing help. There's something in the back of my mind, but I can't figure out what it means. I know that it should be obvious, but like most important things, it's not. Perhaps I won't be able to figure it out until something totally unrelated to the subject happens, which ends up clarifying everything. Do you know what I mean?_

_Well, that's the end of that. I don't think I'll be able to do the homework job anymore. The guilt is overwhelming me. Just yesterday I had only been considering that I put it on hold, but knowing that I'm not helping them at all… and taking their money too… I don't know what to do anymore._

_My other job. I don't think that one overly consumes me with guilt because I never reveal anything too private. Like bra sizes or something. Just general things like favorite flowers and stuff. And I never do it if I have a feeling that they have bad intentions._

_Well, unless you count Kagura. I reckon she has bad intentions for Sesshoumaru… but not _**evil **_ones, just… naughty ones, if you get what I mean. Hehe. I've never even had my first kiss. A lot of the popular girls would probably laugh their heads off at that. Not that I care. After all, I enjoy my being with my friends much more than potentially contracting Meningeal Coccal Disease or whatever it's called. I love being in the Candy Kitchen, the sweetness of Sundaes and Shakes on our tongues as we have girly moments. And I love the little nights in my dad and I enjoy so often._

_Some things are just more important than teenage hormones!_

_

* * *

_

"You're going to **_what_**!"

It was Wednesday afternoon after school and we were at the Candy Kitchen (1). We being Pristine, Theresa and myself.

"I'm quitting," I said calmly, my fingers playing with the torn, red leather upholstery on our usual booth at the window.

"You mean you're not gonna stalk people anymore?" Pristine asked.

"Why? Did you want to find something out about some lover boy?" Theresa teased. Both she and I giggled as Pristine blushed heavily. Though practical, she really was a true romantic at heart, waiting for her Prince Charming. Theresa however, was a shameless admirer of the opposite sex. I was content with just my friends and family.

"No, the homework thing" I said, still grinning at Pris' expense.

"Are you serious?" Pristine asked, amazed. I've said before that Theresa does not judge, believing ones life was ones own, but Pristine… well let's just say that she didn't exactly approve of me 'helping' those "stupid, moronic idiots!"

"Yep. Get this," I said, quickly changing the subject "Kagura wants me to spy on my dear old Ice Prince!" Though Theresa gasped, Pristine simply raised an eyebrow.

"_Your_ dear old Ice Prince?" she smirked. Theresa ooh-ed.

"Do mine ears deceive me?" she asked playfully "That my darling Rinz has found her Prince? An Ice Prince, but a prince no less…" The other two quickly fell into laughter. Argh, why must I blush? I'm not crushing on him, after all.

"Ooh she's _blushing_!" Theresa said cheekily. Both of them laughed once again. Oh _please_, let this blush be gone!

"You two shame me!" I said, mock-offended "Have you given in to your hormones?"

"At least they have, unlike you, Ms. Frigid" came a very, **very** unwelcome voice.

I turned around sharply, glaring at Sesshoumaru. In the background I could hear Theresa ooh-ing again and then giggle heavily behind her hand along with Pristine. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow as my blush resurfaced. Turning slightly, I whispered harshly "Shut up!"

Looking back at Sesshoumaru I said as equally harshly "And what are you doing here?"

Behind me I could hear Pristine gasping for breathe as she said in a stage whisper "I think it's a love/hate thing"

"They say those are the most _delicious_ relationships!" Theresa replied.

I swiveled around in my seat and banged my head on the table. Trust my best friends to make a mess of me in front of a- the most popular guy from school and b- the guy that I was currently hating, who both just coincidentally happen to be the same guy. I heard Sesshoumaru slip into the empty space next to Pristine.

"It's OK, Rinzzzz" he said, drawing out the last letter of my nickname "I get that a lot. You know, girls throwing themselves at me"

My mouth dropped open. Why the arrogant -!

"I can't believe you'd imply that I would go for – **argh**!" I cried in exasperation. As though ignoring my sentence and focusing on my animalistic cry, he continued.

"I'm sorry to let you down but I don't go for the rough, barbaric ones such as yourself" he said, a small smirk gracing his lips.

I grabbed the spoon from my sundae shake and was about to lean over the table to grab the warthogs collar and gouge out his eyes but Theresa held me back. Stepping out from her seat beside the warthog, Pristine tossed a $20 note onto the table and helped Theresa pull me out of the Candy Kitchen.

As soon as we were in the open I shrugged free of my human restraints.

"I can't _believe_ he said that!"

"Well you did have a pretty good battle cry there" Pristine remarked.

I glared at my two best friends.

"I _still_ can't believe he said that!"

"We know, Rinz, we know" Theresa said, smiling conspiratorially at Pristine. I narrowed my eye suspiciously.

"What's going on? What are you two thinking?"

Theresa looked back at Pristine one last time before smiling genially at me.

"It would be obvious to everyone **but** you, Rinzy dear" she said, before walking towards the river and sitting on the grassy slope. I sighed - I trusted Theresa's senses. Besides, it sounded like as if I wouldn't have liked the idea anyway, considering how she walked away from me.

We spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and laughing away. Just as the sun was setting, and the air began to cool, we got up and split at the next junction.

That night, while my dad and I ate dinner I told him about the Candy Kitchen. He seemed to smile down at his plate the same way Theresa smiled at Pristine.

"… dad?" my tone mirroring the tone of that two nights ago.

"It's nothing, really" All I did was glare at him, fork clenched in hand. He raised his hands in surrender. "Look, as Theresa said, it would be obvious to anyone **but** you and you're intuition is right in saying that you would _not_ like it"

I sighed and finished dinner. I made my way up the stairs to my room to finish homework, leaving my dad to do the dishes.

That night as I closed my eyes, I realized that Theresa, Pristine and my father knew something about me that even I did not know.

* * *

A/N: I know nothing truly exciting happened, but I'm still trying to introduce Rin as a character. Well, at least that's my excuse. At least there was some sess/rin action, was there not? Anyways, next chapter actually has something happen other than Rin's blood vessels going into overdrive but it might not come for a bit because school has just restarted (I mentioned that 2nd term started at the end of April… made the connection yet?). Thank you for all the reviews! Muchly appreciated! 

**Andromedablack: ** Thank you! I didn't really think it was funny, and I was anxious about it but hearing you say that really makes my smile a lot bigger! OK, let's see… you sent it at 3:41pm and I received it at 5:42am, 26th of April. Now if I remember correctly, America is behind Australia by one day… so you're 14 hours behind me? Argh, so much calculating…

**IceSugarHigh: **Yea, I try to 'review the reviewers' as you say. I didn't get much chance to thank you all because my mum was doing a mum kind of thing. Lol, is my storyline that predictable? I'm already in the middle of typing up a very future chapter where Rin is spying but the reason has nothing to do with her job! wink wink, nudge nudge And yes, you are quite lovely, in a very EVIL kind of way

**IYWriterGirl: **Thanks a lot for pointing that out! It's pretty frustrating how the two words are almost exactly the same huh?

**Nekurahime: **Don't worry, I'm not making her out to look like a bitch or a ditz. Just a popular girl with a crush )

Much thanks, hugs and smiles to all else!  
**AnimeFan  
Swimchick1614  
Tigerose08  
Blurry  
San San as Herself  
Punklunargoddess0  
Kendra Kontaki**

Tell me what you think of this chapter PLEASE!

(1) I got the name from the book "The Misfits" by John Howe. NOT the movie with Marilyn Munroe. If you've ever read the book, you may find that there are some similarities in the future scenes in the Candy Kitchen…


	5. It Begins

Disclaimer: Is there a point to this? I KNOW I don't own Inuyasha! (sobs) Are you happy now that you've rubbed it in? (sob sob)

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Five : It begins

As usual, Rin slowed down as she passed the Izuki Estate, admiring how the fine dewdrops clung to everything. Hearing a few footsteps on the path behind her, she turned around and saw Inuyasha stepping into a limousine. The door closed behind him and the limousine started off.

Just as Rin began thinking 'posh bastards' the limousine stopped beside her and the window wound down slowly.

"Hi Rin. Did you want a lift?" Inuyasha poked his head out the window.

Rin bent down, about to say yes when she caught sight of Sesshoumaru. Her eyes narrowed.

"No thank you. I heard a good walk can make the brain 20 more active. Not that _you_ would no anything of brain activity, right? Sesshoumaru?"

Not waiting for an answer she walked on, oblivious to Sesshoumaru's inner smirk.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Do you know what I wanna be when I grow up? A journalist. Not the type that sits at the computer all day typing up lame-ass articles, or the type that writes bullshit rumors about other people. I want to expose things. I want the truth to be out there. Is that so stupid of me to expect just the truth?_

_I guess that's why I'm always spying on people. Practice for later life, you know? But Sesshoumaru… surely he'll be a lot harder. I have to start somewhere._

_So why not start during class? Not Math… Mr. Dillon is just _**waiting**_ for me to slip up… not Science either, those giggly girls will be all over him… so I guess it's English then huh? Trust the Ice Prince to wreck my favorite subject!_

_

* * *

_

"Rin! Favorite Shakespearian quote!"

What the?

"Favorite Shakespearian quote! Or weren't you listening?"

Oh, right, I get it now.

Usually when Ms. Ruskit, English teacher extraordinaire, sees you with your eyes glazing over, she springs upon you the weirdest questions. Examples being "What was the last piece of homework you did last night" and "What's your signature font?" This Shakespeare one is just another one.

"'Hell hath no fury like a pregnant woman'" I answered, the class laughing.

"I remember no such Shakespearian line," Ms. Ruskit said, although she, too, was smiling.

"'Either thou art most ignorant by age, or thou wert born a fool'" I quoted with mock-anger "Miss, of course my first quote was Shakespearian. Anything with words like that is considered so, right? _And_ Shakespeare was known to be sexist"

Ms. Ruskit sighed in mock-despair.

"My dear Rin, I hope you aging another year does not mean your mouth continues to spurt things about my age, nor does it mean you will continue to spout out such smart-alec remarks. Your cute, cheeky looks won't save you for much longer, you know"

Yep, you heard her right. I'm 15 now, my birthday being yesterday, Sunday May 2nd. I'm only one more year away from applying for my license, and another three years from being legally allowed to drink (1). Of course it also means I've gained another years worth of wrinkles, and that I'm only two years away from my HSC. Such responsibilities, but that's life for you!

A note landed in my lap.

Checking to see if everyone else was distracted I opened it up to read.

'_Your cute, cheeky looks may not save you for much longer, but your beauty will daze them'_

Oh. My. God.

"What is it?" Theresa whispered to me, glancing at the note. Too dazed to say anything, I simply slipped the small, fragrant, blue square sheet to her. Theresa held it between her and Pristine and, they silently mouthed the words as they read. As one, the both glanced at me, before looking at each and silently communicating with their eyes. Once again as one, they looked at some person behind me from the corners of their eyes, but before I could follow their path of vision they both returned their gazes upon me, with very secret smiles.

"Lemme guess, you're not gonna tell me right?" In return I got two nods. Sighing, I returned my attention to Ms. Ruskit.

"Today I'm going to be giving out an assignment" groans were heard from the class. "Basically all you'll be doing is composing a newspaper with a partner I have assigned you with" Theresa, Pristine and I shared worried looks. "The sheet I'm giving out right now should pretty much detail what you'll have to do. I'm giving you all 'til end of term which, might I add, is incredibly lenient for an advance class like this. The partnering goes as follows…

… Philip Zhang and Gina Smith…

… Pristine Sayuki and Theresa Nauya…"

Although both of them seemed happy to be partnered up with one another, they looked at me sympathetically. I reached over and clasped Pristine's hand.

"As long as I don't get matched up with the Ice Prince, I'll be fine"

"… Rin Tsuyame and Sesshoumaru Izuki…"

Spoke too soon.

Oh, my Guardian Angel, why do you mock me?

"Miss! You can't be serious!" Where did _that_ come from? Well, you didn't think that I would let my first day of being a 15 year old be ruined by the warthog, did you?

"Pardon, Rin, dear?" Ms. Ruskit looked down at me, as though daring me to challenge her.

"You can't match me up with that ba – ah" I stopped myself in time. One with such a cute reputation such as mine should not ruin it by profane language.

"Ba – ah what, Miss Tsuyame? This isn't a matchmaking scheme, it's just a partnering assignment. I assure you that cooties are not contractible"

Scattered laughter filled the room. I was struck by a sudden idea.

"I was about to say brilliant, acing student, Miss" I crossed my fingers in between my back and my chair, so only Pristine and Theresa could see "It's not fair to the other students. No offence" I added to the class.

"I anticipated your consideration towards the class, so instead of doing a general newspaper, you two will choose a genre. Understood?" Not waiting for me to answer, she turned a girl with her hand raised.

Eyes wide and mouth open, I swiveled around in chair to face Pristine and Theresa. They both looked amused and worried.

"Go ahead" I grated out.

"Go ahead what?"

"Start telling me how fabulous this arrangement is because I can finally admit my 'true feelings'" I said, the last words sarcastically so.

"How'd you guess?" Theresa pouted. I rolled my eyes.

"I have no idea. It just _might_ be something to do with the fact that I've been your best friends since kindergarten" Theresa continued to pout until Pristine nudged her with her elbow.

"We're wasting valuable teasing-Rinz time" As one they looked at me then at some point in the room behind me (I'm guessing Ice prince) and began to giggle.

"Girls," Ms. Ruskit interrupted "after class please, I'm sure Rinz here and Sesshoumaru have a lot of work to discuss"

"We'll continue this later" Pristine assured me before taking out a notebook and talking to Rin about the newspaper. I sighed and turned in my chair, looking for my 'partner'. I didn't have to look far; **IT** was sitting right behind me.

Wait a moment, how did the note get into my lap? And didn't my so-called best friends look at someone behind me? I mentally shrugged. Such matters would do me no good in a battle against the Ice Prince. Besides, he probably just took the chair from someone after they moved to work with their partner.

"Come on" I said impatiently, tapping the chair beside me "I can't work with my spine snapping itself trying to face you"

"Why not?" he said, innocently challenging me.

"Do you oppose to working side-by-side?" I questioned.

"Well in this case I am"

"And why is that?" The smirk surfaced. God how I hate that smirk.

"Because one of your blouse buttons are undone and you twisting around gives me, and only me, a good view of your black Berlei bra. Too bad it's not Victoria's Secret…"

I turned around viciously in my chair, hurriedly trying to find the offending button. Oh. My. God. Out of all the people to see my bra (how the hell did he know it was Berlei! And Victoria's Secret? What kind of pervert would… urgh!) it just **had** to be the one I wanted to see it **least**. Not that I want **anyone** to see it at all. Argh, what if he spills to the whole school that Miss-Lovable-Rinz gave him a one-on-one show in the English classroom?

Blushing furiously I made sure my uniform was properly done up before turning around to face him. My eyes glaring holes into the carpeted floor I opened my mouth to argue… just as the bell rang.

Picking up his books and pens, his smirk still on, he commented.

"Told you that girls were tripping over themselves to get to me" As he walked out of the room I banged my head on the edge of the table. How dare he make it sound like I _liked_ him? Make it sound like I'm just another giggly girl? Like as if would take off **anything** for him? I am **not** the average girl! I have **values**. Idiot! Just because he's rich doesn't mean that… **argh**!

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned around to face Pristine and Theresa. Both had sympathetic looks on their faces.

"We heard what he said…" Theresa said "Rinz… why didn't you tell us that you wanted him that bad?"

I gaped at them. He was a perverse bastard and here they were, teasing me! White-hot anger replaced shock. Was no-one here going to empathize with me? My hands violently gripped the table's edge as I stood up. No longer blushing I stood up, knocking my chair over. My supposed best friends gasped. Never had I ever been this angry.

"I believe schools out" I said in a low monotonous tone.

Leaving them in shock I rushed out of the door angrily. I didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted to be alone. Where no one could annoy me, or tease me. I distantly heard Pristine call out my name out the window urgently as I walked onto the grounds. Who gave a damn what the hell they had to say for themselves?

I took the shortcut home. As I made my way across a large unkempt park, I paused, looking at the grove of trees to the side. They looked so peaceful and undisturbed.

Up until now.

I trampled my way through the uncut grass, cursing and kicking while I did so, into the grove and sat at the base of a tree. I closed my eyes and leant my head back. After a while, the suns glare was close to blinding me, so I brought my knees to my chest and lay my forehead there.

The sun began to set, and I stood quickly, brushing dead leaves and dry grass off my school skirt. I continued on my way home slowly.

I slipped the key into the door. The regular action oddly soothed me and I stepped into my home. My sanctuary. I stomped upstairs towards my room, slamming the door behind me. I slammed myself into the swivel chair at my computer desk without changing out of my uniform and pulled out various assignments, essays and homework sheets. I cracked my knuckles and began to punch the keys on my keyboard. If I couldn't spill my rage at Mr. I-Am-A-Perverse-Man-Who-Stares-At-Victoria's-Secret-Catalogues, then I would instead take it out on my computer. Within an hour or so, all my work was done. Even the report that wasn't due until Term Three. Frustratingly bored, I grabbed my big, stuffed polar bear and collapsed into my giant beanie bag.

My private phone rang. Looking at the caller ID I saw that it was Pristine calling me.

I yanked on the phone line violently.

As I let my anger take over my thoughts, it came to me.

An evil grin on my face, I took off my uniform and stuck my legs through my favorite, navy blue trousers and slipped on a white sleeveless skivvy. After pulling my hair into a bun, I grabbed my digital camera and note taker (2). I checked the clock. It was 6:30pm. Dad wouldn't be home until 10 at least because of some client. Shoving my keys in the pocket at the bottom of my pants, I opened the front door and started walking the usually long route towards school.

Two can play at the underwear game, my dear Sesshoumaru.

* * *

A/N: Is it just me or are the chapters getting shorter and shorter? And my imagination not keeping with me? Argh, I think I lost Sesshoumaru's character! runs around trying to look for it Ah well, at least it's longer than last chapter… 

Thank you for reading my fiction this far! I really appreciate it; knowing that my story doesn't suck or anything like that! Each chapter I keep waiting for the one flame that ruins the whole entire story… (sniff, sniff)

**IceSugarHigh: **yes, incredibly evil, because you sorta figured it out! gasp But you'll have to read the chapter after… well I can't say can I? Hehe, I think I am also evil… muffins are good… very good!

**San San as Herself **_(who would she be if she wasn't? O.o): _hehe, don't you mean dud_ette_?

Much thanks, hugs and affection to the following!  
**C'fay  
RyuJouyou  
Lynn-Minmay  
CometsChaos  
Nekurahime  
Swimchick1614  
Anee  
Animegirl  
Rin/Sessh**

**A lot of you are thinking that Rin likes Sesshoumaru… but raises eyebrows that's not what I intended for it to look like but… I guess the blushing kinda tipped it that way, eh? Well, a future chapter has a minor twist that may shock you all! cackles evilly**

**Next Chapter: **Black bra's, half-naked Sesshoumaru's, blood, sweat and tears!

(1): I heard that in America, the legal drinking age isn't until 21. In Australia it's 18.

(2): You know those THINGS, kind of like a recorder? Does anyone know what the proper name is?


	6. Hunting

Disclaimer: I think we've established the fact that I DON'T OWN INUYASHA. GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK HEAD. DON'T MIND THE CAPSLOCK. ONE TIME I WAS ON MSN AND THE CAPSLOCK WAS STILL ON AND I KEPT TALKING TO MY FRIEND LIKE THIS AND SHE THOUGHT I WAS YELLING AT HER. NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL SHE IGNORED ME, QUITE STUPID IF YOU ASK ME. I MEAN HONESTLY, IT'S NOT LIKE AS IF I HAD… anyway, I'll stop this pointless and false rant. Read on :)

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Six : Hunting

Sesshoumaru walked into his room, having just had dinner with that ignoramus of a brother. His 'mother' and father out of Sydney for the while, he had freely thrown insults at Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru leaned back against his closed bedroom door. He began to pace, before taking a book from his shelf and settling onto his king-size to start enjoying it. Barely reading past the first sentence, Sesshoumaru threw the book onto the floor and put his hands behind his head.

Rin.

What an enigma. Why exactly did he think of her so much? Why did he enjoy taunting her so much? Why did he insist on pointing out that she should wear Victoria's Secret lingerie? After all, it would do justice to those lovely proportionate curves of hers…

A scowl came over the attractive teenagers face. More like non-existent curves. He had seen – and been with – much better…

But that cute pout did make up for it…

Sighing in annoyance, Sesshoumaru stood up and took off his black singlet to ready himself for sleep. As his hands slipped towards the zipper of his jeans –

**THUMP.**

What was that?

A frown gracing his beautiful facial features, he walked to his window, opened it and looked out.

Immediately Sesshoumaru ran for the front door.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I remember when I was a little girl, whenever I was hurt, someone would always pick me up and tell me I would be all right. Even after I was orphaned. Especially after I was orphaned because all the other children felt that me having no parents gave them grounds to tease me. Kick me. Push me to the ground._

_And every single time, an adult would pick me up, put a band-aid on my cuts and say that I'd be all right._

_It was either "ignore the child" or "pay attention to the child's needs… and ignore the child". All I needed was for someone to tell me the truth. Is that so bad of me? To expect just the truth?_

_Eventually, I got just that. _

_In the hospital where my mother was dying. I was outside waiting for my dad to come out. While I waited (and waited and waited…) I walked to and fro, finally tripping over. One of the deeper cuts on my legs opened up and the blood ran down the rest of my thigh, my knee and my shins. _

_I cried. I didn't cry because it hurt. I cried because I thought this was how it was going to be. Me going to the hospital everyday before coming home in the late after noon, only to be picked on by other kids. Then me going to sleep under the covers before whatever liquid poison my father had decided to drink that night causes him to cry out in the middle of the night before morning comes, and the cycle repeats itself. I cried because I was scared. I cried because all I wanted was truth, and all I needed was love._

_Somebody pulled me up, cleaned the cut and put a large band-aid on it. All the way through, I did not pause in my silent crying to look at my carer._

_"I just wanted to test my skills 1 as a doctor. Whatever hand you are dealt in life, you must make do with"_

_My crying stopped as my eyes widened at the truth of his words. The _**TRUTH**_ of it all._

_I looked up, and I instantly fell in love with his golden eyes…_

_I have not seen that boy ever since. The boy who had given me the one thing I had wanted in life. The truth._

_

* * *

_

As I stepped out, my eyes narrowed in the brilliance of Sun's dying rays. I stopped for a few minutes just to stare, before I went on my way. In less than a few minutes, the dark had settled all around and goose bumps had begun to appear on my upper forearms. Rubbing my arms, I cursed myself for wearing something sleeveless, although I knew I had worn it so that I could get around a lot better.

Was I getting second thoughts about this? Was I trying to make up an excuse to go back to my home?

I increased my pace. Better to get this over and done with.

Finally, after what seemed like forever arguing with my conscience, I turned into the road that had the Izuki Estate.

I checked my digital camera, tape recorder and made sure that my keys were secure in my pocket. Time check: 7pm.

Taking a deep breath I set one foot then snatched it back. My breath hitched in my throat, I cursed myself. Why the hell was I wearing a _white_E top? I might as well wear something fluoro and stick a sign on my back saying 'feel free to shoot me'. Why the hell was I even doing this? Was it worth it?

My mind resolved itself. Of course it was! Only less than a week ago I had said that he was an asshole and that I wanted to teach him a lesson.

With a determination unmatched (don't you think that sounds so poetic? I'm sure Ms. Ruskit will appreciate my efforts at language) I silently ran behind the closest tree with a good viewpoint and peeked out. From here, I could see that the bottom story lights were on.

From the stories of girls that have supposedly been in the Ice Prince's arms, heart and home, his room is on the top floor. These stories aren't exactly credible considering that a lot of other girls have claimed to be in his arms, heart and home. I mean, come on, we're talking about the _Ice Prince_ here, does he even _have_ a heart?

Well there was only one way to find out. Find out about his room being on the top floor, that is. Not about him having a heart.

Peeking around the trunk of the tree once more for anyone wondering about, I climbed it to get over the closed gate and let go of the branch, landing on the ground softly. I silently ran to the biggest tree, which coincidentally also happened to be the closest tree. Climbing my way over the chunky roots, I looked into the light of the bottom floor, holding onto the large trunk so I wouldn't fall over.

I saw Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, on either end of a long table. Although the Ice Prince was neatly cutting up his steak, his eyes held mirth. I looked to the other end of the table where Inuyasha was glaring at Sesshoumaru, quickly turning red in the face. The Ice Prince spoke once again before throwing his napkin onto the table and walking out of the room. As the door closed, the Ice Prince's little brother bared his teeth and muttered something to his plate of food. A short, old man, his wrinkly skin almost green, scuttled to clean up Sesshoumaru's end of the table before disappearing.

Realizing that I ought to follow Sesshoumaru, I guessed that he must have gone upstairs. Looking up, I spotted a low, thick branch, and other thick ones above it.

My Guardian Angel may mock me, but he or she definitely makes up for it.

I climbed up quite a few branches, the smaller twigs snagging on my clothes. Settling myself onto a thick branch at the top story, I blinked as a light came on. Careful to hide myself behind the leaves of the tree, I leaned out to see from where the light was coming from.

Sesshoumaru was leaning against his door. When he opened his eyes, I quickly ducked behind more leaves, hoping he didn't hear the rustling but he didn't even look out the window. He started walking from one side of the room to the other, unconsciously pulling his long fingers through his strange, white, long hair…

Judging from the way he familiarly took a book out from a bookcase and slammed himself onto the king-size bed (damn, rich bi-! I mean, I'm a serial toss-turner and I only get a queen-size! Of course, that may have something to do with the fact my room isn't big enough for a king-size…), I'd say this was definitely his room. Either that or he was planning to muss up his brother's bed or something.

I looked on as he threw the book down. I glanced at the cover – 'Sinner'. Oh wow, that was a _really_ good book. At least we know he didn't buy his way into Advanced English. He stood up and took off his black singlet… revealing a toned body. Every movement he made was like as if he were posing for a camera, like as if he were a model… argh! It would do me no good to drool over a good specimen of the male body. Especially if it belongs to the Ice Prince. Not that I even **wanted** to drool over his body.

Just clearing up misapprehensions, is all. I am _not_ trying to convince myself that the Ice Prince is just that, an Ice Prince. Oh Guardian Angel, please deliver me from my over-active hormones!

My mouth dropped open as Sesshoumaru's hands dropped towards the opening of his jeans.

Oh. My. God.

THIS IS LIKE A PRIVATE HENS NIGHT! Err… sorry about that.

Originally, all I had planned to do was steal a pair of his undies and either a- sell it to Kagura, making a profit and listening to the school talk about how she and him were now an 'item' or b- say that Sesshoumaru gave me a one-on-one show.

But somehow I feel taking a picture of The Ice Prince in his Calvin Klein (I'm only guessing…) boxers (it COULD be briefs!) sounds oh-so-much-more-humiliating for him. I could a- make copies of the pictures and stick 'em all over the school walls, b- make copies of the picture and sell them to whomever wants them or c- blackmail him. Ooh blackmail… drool, drool.

I took my hands off the branch, fussing with my camera, better be quick – no flash. The band that held my camera around my neck caught in a twig and I tugged at it, desperately. I finally pulled it free, much to my relief, but the force I used set me off balance and I slipped off the branch…

* * *

I can't breathe. 

I opened my eyes.

Why couldn't I breathe?

I moved my head… and found that I had been sleeping with my face down in the pillow. Very smart, Rin-Poo. Yawning, I turned over and noticed that I… wasn't in my room. I sniffed. The pillow smelled distinctly… man-like. Was I in my dad's room? Wait, why would I be in my dad's room? Last thing I remember was being in a tree with my camera…

**Shit!**

Was I in the hospital? I tried turning around but my back killed. My eyes widened. Did I rupture my spleen or anything? Of course, I had trained myself never to panic when I started to panic. I took in a deep breath and flexed my fingers. OK, at least I wasn't paralyzed or anything. Twisting my arm, my fingers pushed away my hair – it must have come out in the fall – I strained to touch my back when a hand clamped around my wrist.

"Don't touch, it's still bleeding" I looked up and saw Sesshoumaru. I groaned and buried my face into his pillow. What had I gotten myself into? I should have charged Kagura more than $250! I closed my eyes and bit my lip. How would dad react when the police called him to say his daughter had trespassed onto Izuki grounds?

"Is it soaking through my top?" I whispered.

"Check for yourself" Once again, I reached my fingers towards my back… and felt only skin. Eyes wide, I tapped my fingers along various points on my back, only skin meeting my fingers. I breathed in sharply, and pulled my fingers back towards me. Blood marked them.

"I can see you're still wearing your Berlei bra" Sesshoumaru said, smirking.

"Where's my skivvi?" Instead of answering me, he threw a white towel at me.

"Sit up and cover your chest with that. I'm going to get some antiseptic and bandages" He strode out of the room.

After glaring at the closed door for some time, I sat up, careful not to have my back touch the sheets. Pulling the towel over my chest and my hair over my shoulder, I stood up and walked over to the full-length mirror. I turned my back to it and twisted my head around and gasped.

It looked as if little faeries had taken the whip to me. I know it doesn't sound all that bad, but the lines were varying from ten centimetres (four inches) to a particularly long one, probably about 17 centimetres (almost 7 inches). The longest one was on the lower half of my back, on the right, from the side inwards. All the cuts were relatively deep and in between were many smaller scratches. My shoulders and lower back were already turning purple. I could see that the bruise on my lower back stretch to beneath my pants, but I didn't not pull the elastic down to see how far it stretched – the pain on my arse kinda explained how far it went.

The door clicked and I turned to face him just as he closed it. I blushed as I felt his gaze on me. Walking around clutching a towel to my chest in a black bra (which I'm sure the Ice Prince would delight in telling you was Berlei), pants and my back bleeding its life out after watching him almost take off his jeans isn't exactly a favorite pastime. Did I even make sense just then? Just having him stare at me without a shirt on is enough to make me shiver.

"Sit down" he said abruptly. I moved away from the mirror and sat down in the middle of the floor, my knees to my chest. My breath hitched as my skin stretched and something warm dripped down my back. Perhaps blood.

His hand hung in front of my face, my white hair tie dangling from his fingers. Taking it, I swiftly twisted my hair into a loose bun. I could feel the wispy strands rest on my heavily bruised shoulders.

"This will sting a bit" I buried my head in my knees as he dabbed the cloth soaked with antiseptic on my cuts. _Only a bit!_

"Can you please explain to me what happened?" I rasped out, as he changed cloth.

"You should know well enough what happened," he said nonchalantly. Annoyed, I asked him again.

"Can you please explained to me what happened after you reached for the zipper of your jeans?" Realizing how I finished my question, once again I slammed my head into my knees. Of course, being the Ice Prince he didn't really care.

"Isn't it obvious? Once you saw the beauty that is my body, your body paralyzed. When you realized I would taking off my jeans, you obviously lost balanced and fell. I assume that those few moments you saw of me getting naked will fill your dreams until the end of time" He continued to clean my wounds. I struggled with my anger, about to tell him why I **really **came, but my logical half argued for me not to give him more of an excuse to call the police, so I restrained myself. I said the one word I thought I would never say to him.

"Please" The dabbing paused. After a few seconds, it continued.

"I heard a thump outside my window. Looking out, I saw you, in a white skivvy, hair splayed out everywhere. I ran out to get you" Sesshoumaru gave a short laugh. "Jakken was much displeased"

"Jakken?"

"The butler. He was adamant that we call the police, or leave you to the lizards (2) to eat"

"Lizards?" No offence to this Jakken guy, but lizards weren't exactly scary. Unless you mutated them to Godzilla proportions…

"There are these two lizards who tend to annoy him, stealing bits of food and nibbling on his ear in the morning"

"Oh…" I paused for a while to think. He continued to clean my back up "So what happened after you ran out?"

"I carried you up here. Of course, that idiot half-brother of mine just had to be involved. Asking what I'd done to you and trying to take you off me"

"So what did you do?"

"I punched him in the stomach"

OK, now I was slightly disturbed. He punched his brother? Isn't that, like, abuse or something?

"I came in here and laid you onto my bed. Then I tore off your shirt and took most of the leaves out of your hair" Gee, it's appreciated. "You slept for about an hour"

He dabbed at the cut on my side and I winced. I would not cry. I would not cry. Not again…

"You do realize that it was incredibly foolish of you to climb that high in the dark" No duh, Ice Prince.

"Yea well, I'm a teenager, foolish is our middle name"

"I'm not foolish"

"I didn't say you were a teenager. In fact, you're probably a perverse old man who knows how to spot a Berlei and who most likely had a facelift"

He dressed the last cut on my side and threw his black singlet at me.

"Well at least I know my skills as a doctor haven't diminished" I froze in the middle of flipping the singlet right side out "Whatever hand we are dealt in life, we must make do with"

No. No, it can't be. No, no, no.

_I have not seen that boy ever since._

I slowly turned around, distraught.

… _all I wanted was the truth, and all I needed was love…_

No, this was all wrong. Surely lots of people joked about being a doctor, said the same phrase…

_I looked up, and I instantly fell in love with his golden eyes…_

I made the connection. The eyes, which amazingly, I had never paid any attention to, were the exact shape and color. His words… his hair… The Ice Prince was…

… _the boy who had given me the one thing I had wanted in life. The truth._

The boy who I had fallen in love with. The boy who I had dreamed I would find again. Who would give me all I wanted and needed - and more. Who would love me back. Whose golden eyes would light up when they saw me.

All my childish dreams of love and hope… where would they go? What would I do, knowing that the one thing I had so fervently believed in, the dream that I would live in the arms of my golden-eyed lover, what would I do, knowing it was all false?

I stared into the eyes of my supposed true love, desperately searching for what I saw nine years ago.

Empty. Completely empty.

I stood up, still staring at Sesshoumaru. Tearing my eyes away, I dropped the towel onto the floor, grabbed my digital camera off his bedside table and ran out of the room, tugging his singlet over my bare shoulders and stomach.

I distantly heard Inuyasha's bedroom door open and him step out.

"Rin? Are you OK? That idiot didn't do anything to you did he?"

I heard footsteps behind me.

"Rin! I left your father a message in his voicemail, he should be coming to pick you up soon!" Sesshoumaru's voice calling after me.

I ran down the stairs, past Jakken, fumbled with the door handle and burst out into the cold night.

My cheeks burning from inner turmoil and humiliation, I ran all the way home. Digging in my pockets for my keys, I panicked. Sesshoumaru had said that dad was coming to pick me up. What would dad say? At last, my keys in my hands I tried jamming my key in the lock but my shaking hands would not permit me to do so.

I banged my head against the door and tried once again. The key slipped in smoothly and jarred my wrist in trying to open the door. Bursting through, I ran all the way upstairs to my room, slamming the door. I violently tore the shirt from my chest and sank down beside my bed, finally giving into my tears.

That night I cried. I cried for all the things I had done. How much I had thought of myself, never thinking of the consequences. I cried for being foolish enough to believe in a dream. For being foolish enough to climb the tree up that high…

Eventually, I had cried all my tears because I'd heard somewhere that each eye can only cry, like 32 tears or something, and THAT just came out of nowhere. I laughed. It's strange how your mind tries to distract you with the strangest, but relevant, things. I glanced at my Pucca clock. It was almost ten.

Rubbing my hands over my face, I stood. I grimaced as pain shot up my back. As the pain abated, I noticed goose bumps growing along my sides. I grabbed a pair of pants and a singlet and made my way to the bathroom.

After having sufficiently cleaned myself, I took a roll of bandages from a cabinet and began to roll it around my chest and stomach. I slipped my singlet over it and walked back into my room. Grabbing a few of my textbooks from under my bed, I used them to elevate me high enough to grab an extra thick blanket at the top of my built-in wardrobe. I threw it onto my bed, before kicking my textbooks back under my bed. I bit my lip as my big toe made the connection with the edge of the book.

Shaking my head, I lifted the blankets and covers and hid buried myself in their warmth. After I had warmed up, I seized my giant, stuffed polar bear and pulled it under the blankets with me. I buried my head in its fur and closed my eyes, listening to myself breathe.

I slept very well that night.

* * *

A/N: You know what? I could have done a lot of very kinky, bad things with the scene where Fluffy was cleaning Rin's back and there was nothing between them… arghhhhhh… anyways, this chapter took me AGES to write. Probably because it has enough words for two chapters. Should I make you wait? Or shouldn't I? Review me and let me know! 

**Raya The Review Queen - : **Girl Talkie? Maybe… but I can't see Rin saying 'Girl Talkie' lol! No, Sesshie's 16, in Australia, if you're born after June you have to go to school the year after, do you get what I mean? It's a pretty funky system hehe.

**San San As Herself: **So it's lil' Maestro now? blushes Gee, what did I do to deserve these wonderful names? (Sarcasm not intended)

**Anee:** Thanks! Um, it's basically just like a tape recorder only it's really tiny so you can slip it into your pocket in case you ever want to record something down. Whatever. I don't mention it after next chapter so yea hehe. Here, voting is compulsory after you turn 18. Whatever happened to freedom of… whatever? Lol

**IYWritergirl: ** Thank you! I was just a little confused by that because my friend said it was called something like a note taker.

**IceSugarHigh:** Thank you for reminding me! When I first wrote a chapter, I didn't mention ANYTHING without a gate! Lol, well now I do phew! Nah, I think this will be a normal fic, where we _think _demons don't exist! When you said Muffins were your best friend that song by Marilyn Munroe popped into my head. I need more sleep. What about jelly cups? Surely you haven't forgotten the jelly cups!

**Lynn-Minmay: **If you DO kill Sesshy, please do it nicely – no ruining the face or body! Lol thanks, I really didn't know if it was that hilarious or not…

**LuneTigre: **waves hi LT! Hi Emma! Study Hall? Tsk tsk. But I forgive you since I figure my story is a lot better than Study Hall. I'm really glad you like it! Yes, he is a pervert but then again, he is a male… sigh lol!

Thanks, more hugs, kisses and blessings to these:  
**Cometschaos  
Swimchick1614**

**Next Chapter: **A worried father, comfort food, anime, 'best friends', a bath with minor profanity (that isn't typed up btw) and golden eyes…

(1) this was a very shoddy attempt on my part to replicate how the two met in the anime. Sincerest apologies.

(2) Can you guess who these two lizards are? If you can, well I'm telling you that they're gonna have a bigger part, not so much as a bigger role, in this story.


	7. Reality Check

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is a brilliant concept, and sadly enough, I am not brilliant (sob sob)

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**  
- Chapter Seven : Reality Check

Mr. Tsuyame (1) carelessly parked his car in the garage. Entering the house, he dropped his suitcase and swiftly made his way up the stairs.

It was close to midnight and he had come out of a meeting with one of his clients. Turning on his phone, he had found he had received a voicemail over three hours ago to pick up his daughter… from the Izuki Estate. Wondering what she was doing there, he had driven his way over, certain she was fine. Upon arriving, the elder Izuki child walked out to meet him, only to hand him Rin's favorite white skivvi top, torn and covered in blood.

"She ran home in the dark, alone" were the child's words.

Not thinking to ask him what had happened (2), Mr. Tsuyame had run back to his car, clutching the rags and had rushed home.

What had made her run home alone? She had her own mobile, she could have called him! Where was she? She could have been attacked, mugged, raped and murdered!

All the horror stories he had heard from other parents began to echo in his head. Despite Rin not being his blood relative, she was his only family. She did not mind the fact they did not originate form he same source, if anything, she loved him more all for it.

He opened the door to her bedroom, slowly, fearing he would not see her familiar lump in the blankets.

Mr. Tsuyame sighed, relieved.

There she was, sleeping peacefully. As he had not done in a long time, he made his way over to her bed and pulled the blanket back slightly.

Rin's eyes were red and puffy, as though she had cried for at least an hour on end. Seeing the purple bruises on her shoulders, he pulled singlet up a bit and saw the bandages there along with another purpling bruise further down.

What happened? What had caused the bruising and her skivvi to tear up so badly?

Fears consumed the man. Had she been raped? Beaten up? Was she being bullied?

Rin? Rin? Why won't you wake up?

* * *

_Diary, do you ever have those moments where everything just comes crashing down on you? And it comes so quick that before you know it, it's all over? And you come out just as well, but you're different, changed and older?_

_I don't ever wanna grow up, I wanna be able to eat as much as I can without worrying about gaining weight, I wanna be able to splurge at the local ice-cream shop and not worry about bills. My biggest problem the slight blemishes on my face. I don't wanna ever have to let go of my dreams or my innocence. _

_Oh God, please, give me this at least._

_

* * *

_

"Rin, wake up honey, please wake up"

I pried my swollen eyelids apart and smiled weakly at my dad.

"Morning, daddy" I whispered. Dad sniffed.

"Morning to you too Rinz" he smoothed my hair back from my face. "What happened last night? Can you tell me?" I smiled at him. I knew this question would come, how could it not, if he had gone to that – that place? My eyes moved languidly around the room and I saw my torn skivvy on my chair, blood coming from odd spots. The shirt, no doubt, would leave more questions.

"Don't worry dad"

"Rin, you have to tell who did this to you, and what happened. Then we can make them pay" I smiled at my dad's mildly panicky voice.

"Dad, no-one did this to me. I was just doing what teenagers do - being foolish"

No, don't use that word. Idiotic, stupid, moronic, anything but _foolish_. Foolish was – was the word _he_ used…

"Rin? Rin!" I jumped at my dad's voice. "You have a fever, I've called a doctor to check on whatever made you bleed so much as well… did you want to talk about what happened last night?" I stared into my dad's face.

"It was just a bad day, dad" I whispered, struggling not to let my tears take hold of me.

Why now? Why were my eyes wanting to cry? Why did I feel that everything, all the laughter in my life had been childish, naïve and false? All that happened was that reality had hit me. That was all.

Yea, what a joke.

Reality had come at the most inopportune time, hitting me so hard I couldn't breathe.

But was it really so inopportune? Better I had known _he_ was an ass before I figured it out. If I had known _before _I found out he was an ass (which, to be honest, isn't such a hard thing to figure out) I would have been even more heartbroken.

I laughed. What was so different? I was heartbroken _now_ as well. I laughed to myself again. How silly of me, to fall in love just because he had said something like _that_. Just because his eyes were like _that_.

Without even knowing it, I had turned into a girl who loved on the basis of superficial things.

Dad ran his thumb along my hair a few more times more before standing up.

"The doctor is coming soon. I'll be in the kitchen 'til then OK? Don't strain yourself"

Before I could nod, my eyes had slowly come together…

* * *

I snuggled closer to Polar… 

Wait, where was Polar?

I opened one eye and saw my dad setting a jug of water on my bedside table.

"The doctor checked, cleaned and dressed your wounds. Said the bruises were from a nasty bruise, and your cuts had something to do with trees. Now about your fever, it was just 'cause you were out so late last night, running around as well as something about your body failing you. Just keep hydrated and don't do anything too strenuous. I have to go work, are you alright by yourself?"

I nodded weakly, reaching over the side of my bed for my polar bear. My dad bent down and retrieved it for me, raised my blanket up and placed it in my arms.

"No school today, so relax OK?" he walked out of the room and I distantly heard the car start up and pull out of the drive.

For a few minutes, I tried in vain to regain sleep. I turned on my other side, Polar still in my arms and snuggled into the warmth that was my bed.

I wouldn't have replaced that feeling for anything. Being warm, comfortable, rested, knowing that everyone was at school, suffering lectures… including _him._

Suddenly awake and restless, I shoved my blanket to the side and stepped out. I stood, unstable, for a moment, my muscles stiff and aching from running without stretching, sitting and crying for an hour and sleeping in foetus form.

I walked out of my room, into the bathroom, scratching myself.

What? You don't scratch yourself?

You weird, weird person, you.

After washing my face and brushing my teeth (no, for your information, I wasn't still scratching myself. I don't have fleas or anything you know!) I went downstairs, into the kitchen.

At first I made scrambled eggs with sausages and bacon and toast with orange juice. Then for good measure I took out three large packets of chips, a bottle of Fanta, three Twix bars, a bowl of popcorn, a box of crackers, a packet of leftover Easter Eggs, some iced biscuits and made sure there was still some ice cream in the freezer.

There was.

In the end, to carry all the food into the living room I had to make three trips back and forth. It was worth it.

My arms killing me (because a- the eggs were _really _hot, b- my arms were still aching and c- because they had to carry so much), I crawled over to the TV and started sifting through my beloved DVD's.

I was in the mood for lots of angst, particularly if it had lots of blood, death and where couples who were meant to be never got together.

Yep, that sounded _so_ good.

Most of the movies my dad and I owned were not very angsty at all. In fact, many of them were comedies or action (the tame type, where no one who matters dies). Some were even romances from when I was in the mood for some good inspiration for English.

Don't ask me how that works, it just does.

I looked at my food, then up at the ceiling. In my room, under my bed, there was a lot of anime.

No manga though, this damned manga-deprived country (3)!

My brow creased as I thought. I had a few in mind that I wanted to watch. One was 'X the movie' where Kotari ends up dieing and there was mention of incest. Samurai X, where Kenshin ends up killing his own… well, I won't spoil it for you! Then there was Hellsing, where there was lots of everyone shooting each other.

No relationships, whatsoever (4). Bliss!

But the question was: Eat in my bed, potentially spilling crumbs while watching it on a small screen but being comfortably warm and comfortable? Or walking _all_ the way up stairs to get the precious, precious anime and then walking _all_ the way back and watching it on the big screen on the nice, soft new rug…

My mind made up, I clambered my way up the steps, sneezed a few times while I fished under my bed for the precious, precious (you have **no** idea how precious, my country also seems to be anime-deprived… **NO**! You _cannot_ ask me why I chuck all my 'precious' anime under the bed to gather dust and get stepped on!) anime. My hands loaded, I walked _all_ the way back down the steps, threw my anime in front of the DVD player and slotted in Hellsing.

Gotta love the introduction to this series!

* * *

Some few hours later, my stock of food was running dangerously low. 

**I REPEAT: DANGEROUSLY LOW.**

Carrying the empty bowl and plate and other stuff back into the kitchen, I quickly cleaned up before raiding the pantry and fridge again.

After much debate, I decided not to have anything healthy for the rest of the day.

Well, that ruled out the apples, grapes and persimmons!

Instead, I grabbed the block of cheese, whipped cream, a packet of Tim Tams, a bottle of Coke, dad's secret stash of Ovalteenies, a packet of cheese crackers… is yoghurt healthy?

Shaking my head I decided to call up Chicken Express to order some food.

After making the call, I lay on my back, rubbing my belly (worry not, there is still **plenty** of room for the delivery food!) spacing out.

Flinching as the doorbell rang, I scrabbled onto my feet and grabbed my wallet. Opening the door, I took the food with a ravenous smile which is, I think, why the delivery guy looked at me strangely. Tossing him a $20 note, I closed the door.

Just as I had finished my chicken roll (they don't make them like they used to) and had begun on my hot chips, someone knocked on the door.

I glared at the doorknob. Who did these idiots think they were? Did they think they were _special _enough not to use the doorbell?

I got to my feet and opened up the door angrily.

It was Pristine and Theresa.

"You know I hate it when people knock on the door instead of ringing the doorbell" I said icily.

"We knew you wouldn't open the door to us otherwise" Pristine answered levelly.

Theresa remained quiet. She was staring at some point on me and I followed her eyes.

The bruise on my shoulders had spread almost to my collar bone.

"Shit, Rinz, what the hell did you do to yourself?" Pristine swore.

"You assume that it's my fault?"

"We know you better than that, Rin. Any person who tried to hurt you wouldn't get as far as that" I felt my eyes soften and I invited them in.

"We brought your homework and stuff. And we brought our homework for you to do too, in case it'd make you feel better" Theresa said.

"Why would it make me feel better?" I asked, bemused.

"I don't know. 'Cause you love us and you wanna make us feel better about school today?" Theresa said innocently.

I laughed and we walked into the living room. Although I had taken my plate, bowl and cutlery into the kitchen to clean, the rubbish had remained behind. I sat down between the Twix rappers and the chip packets. Pris and Theresa looked around in horror. I pushed some rubbish into a large pile.

"Sit" I said, gesturing to the spot I had cleared. They sat both sat awkwardly, pulling their skirts to almost reach their knees.

I took a cheese cracker from its packet and covered it in whipped cream before shoving it all into my mouth. Theresa made a noise of disgust and Pristine looked thoroughly revolted.

"How can you eat that?" Theresa asked.

"It's very nice!" How can they not like cheese crackers and whipped cream (5)? Both of them looked like they rather not comment. I finished two more crackers before gesturing for one of them to speak.

"There's been talk" Pristine started, furtively glancing at my bruises. "At first I didn't believe them but your shoulders…"

Typical. Obviously Sesshoumaru told the whole school about my escapade with watching him get changed while in a tree before falling down and probably permanently scarring my back.

Typical.

"Really?" I said, trying to look indifferent by starting on my then warm chips.

"Yeah, Inuyasha was -"

"Inuyasha!" the box of then cold chips dropped into my lap. I hurriedly put it with the rubbish pile.

Inuyasha was the one starting talk? What would he know about it? Did Mr. I-Am-So-Popular-Everyone-Would-Believe-Me say anything?

"Yea… Inuyasha…" Pristine looked at me suspiciously. "What happened, Rin? You ignored my call yesterday afternoon after school, you ignored the one after that, then you pulled the phone line, then you avoid our questions. _What _is going on?"

"First of all, I was a very, _very_ pissed off Rin and you pretty much made it worst. Don't ever rub in embarrassment" I added to them sternly. "And secondly, when you asked what happened to me, I was **still** a very, _very_ pissed off Rin. Now tell me the story, and I'll tell you the _real_ version afterwards" I compromised.

"Why should we tell the story first?" Theresa asked. "You might lie to us afterwards. Whereas if you told _your_ story first, you have no real knowledge or base to base it on"

I glared at them.

"I may get really pissed off and yank my phone cord, but I don't lie to my best friends. I'm above that" I said, levelly. Pristine sighed.

"Ok then" she said. She took a deep breath. "Well, the story started up from Inuyasha. He told his girlfriend, Kagome -"

"I know who his girlfriend is," I said irritably "I've been away for a day, not the whole of my life, you know"

"Whatever," Pristine dismissed with her hand, "he told her that he heard a thump outside his home and next thing he knew, his brother a.k.a the Ice Prince was carrying you, splattered with blood, into his room before locking the door. Moans were heard – apparently" Pristine hastily added, seeing the look of outrage on my face.

Moans? What? I could understand if the Ice Prince said I moaned, but _Inuyasha_? He wouldn't do it for his brother; I now know that they hate each other. But then… why?

Oh right… the pain, turning over… the smell on his pillows…

Dammit. I didn't just say what I thought I said did I? Argh. I don't like him. Honest. I mean, it really was a nice smell…

"Then Inuyasha heard the sound of something tearing" Pristine's voice brought me back to reality. "Then two voices, before Sesshoumaru stepped out to get gauze and a few bandages. Some time later, he heard a scuffle and you ran out, in only a black bra -" why does everyone seem to notice that I wear black bra's all of a sudden? "- blood seeping through the dressings on your back, bruises on your shoulders and lower back, frantically trying to pull Sesshoumaru black singlet on, looking you were about to cry" Pristine finished the story.

I was amazed how un-embellished the story was.

"Did something happen Rin?" Theresa asked tentatively. I was puzzled how worried she seemed to be. I mean, I was only in his room…

… where the door was locked, there were muffled sounds and me running out of the room looking like I wanted to cry.

"Oh" I laughed. "Don't worry, I wasn't beaten or raped or anything!"

Pristine and Theresa both let out breathes that I bet even they didn't know they were holding.

"So then, what did happen?" Theresa asked, almost hesitantly.

"Well, Inuyasha was telling the truth. I'm surprised the story is so… unchanged…"

Pristine and Theresa leaned towards me, looking at me anticipatingly. Playing with them, I put on a thoughtful face. Theresa grabbed my arm.

"Tell us, woman!" Sighing, I started. I never really was good at keeping things in.

"Yesterday, after I chucked a psyche at the world and my computer for about four hours, I decided to start on the job for Kagura" they looked at me, obviously knowing that I was lying. "OK, OK. I-went-to-the-Izuki-Estate-to-steal-a-pair-of-his-undies-and-sell-it-to-the-highest-bidder" I said all in one word.

"Wow" Theresa gushed. "I'm sure you would have made a hefty profit…"

"I know" I said "but then when I climbed a tree to break into his room, I saw him getting undressed -"

Both of them squealed.

"Ooh! Did he have muscles?"

"Did he have any scars?"

"Did he have any birthmarks?" I laughed at Pristine's question. She has this strange idea that her true love would have a birthmark above his belly button in the shape of a star.

"You know, we should all grab the girls at Port Street and have a little party in the tree outside his room while he gets naked" I said sarcastically.

"Can we? I mean, you actually remember where that tree is?" Theresa asked. She and Pris seemed quite serious about my joke.

"You don't actually mean that do you?" I asked in horror. Shaking my head, I continued with the story "So anyway, considering I couldn't break into his room and steal his favourite, most daggiest undies right in front of him, I decided to take a picture of him taking off his jeans, and him in just in his damn underwear. The camera snagged on a tree and I fell, crashing into branches on my way down to glorious Earth" I paused for a bit, wondering if should tell them the truth, or whether I should tell them that I woke up suddenly and ran out of the room in a panic. I looked up at them. They were my best friends, no lies or recriminations… right?

"I was knocked unconscious -" my best friends gasped "and being the valiant Ice Prince that he is, he carried me up to his room, locked the door, tore off my shirt and took the twigs and leaves out of my hair" I said the last bit sarcastically.

Theresa sighed as though she thought this was a romance movie and Pristine looked shocked.

"He tore off your shirt?" I nodded.

"Yea, and he reminded me of how much I hated him by notifying me that I was still wearing my black, Berlei bra" They stared at me with their mouths open. "Yep, and then he threw me a towel and told me to cover myself up while he got the stuff to clean up my back and everything. Then he came back and stared at me for a few seconds and he didn't have his shirt on" Pris and Theresa shared a look "It's **not** what you think" I said irritably. "When he cleaned my back up, he told me what happened then he said something… do you remember that story I told you about the boy who helped me in the hospital?"

"Yea…" Pristine and Theresa said together, sharing a look yet _again_.

"Well…" I paused and gulped heavily. I felt curiously empty. "Sesshoumaru was him"

"We…" Pristine paused guiltily "We thought you figured it out ages ago…"

"What!"

"Well… we thought it was kinda obvious. From the description of his eyes and what he said and all…"

I buried my head in my hands.

"I can't believe I couldn't see it" I whispered.

"Of course you couldn't" Theresa took my hands "First time everyone saw him, it was obvious he was not a nice guy"

"Definitely not the guy you had expected of that boy so long ago" Pristine added. "Look, we're still only 15 - we have ages to find 'The One'. Except for Theresa that is"

"What?" I asked, as Theresa blushed. "You mean Triad from Math?"

"Oh **please**!" Theresa said abruptly. "He is _so _two days ago!"

If I recall correctly, we never did get back onto the topic of my love life and Sesshoumaru. Instead we spent the next twenty minutes trying to count all of the guys Theresa had claimed was 'The One'. The list reached 87 Theresa fell in love 12 more times before we gave up.

* * *

"Bye!" I called out to Pristine and Theresa as they walked away from my home. 

Smiling, I closed the door behind me and switched on the radio, before grabbing a towel, a clean pair of undies, a pair of pants, a clean singlet and a new roll of bandages.

I turned to the mirror to take out my hair and grimaced. My hair had not been combed since yesterday afternoon and hung over my scalp in stringy, greasy rat tails. I slowly un-knotted the tails from the plait before combing it out and washing it over the basin. As the last traces of shampoo faded from my hair I rubbed in a hot oil conditioning formula and twisted it into a loose knot.

I started a bath for myself, chucking in a coffee bath bomb and chose to burn honey and vanilla oil essence. I gradually sunk one foot into the hot water, before setting the other in then letting my whole body into the water, gasping as my cuts submerged.

I don't know how long I stayed in that bath. Long enough to sing along to 'I don't want you back'. Lots of swearing in the chorus of that song. Extremely pleasant to shout out the profanities. Then sang along to that song by Pink. Something about 'Being the last to know'. Haha, is it just me or do the titles of the two songs somehow relate to my situation very well? After pondering the matter for a few minutes, I stood out of the tub and rinsed my hair. I changed into the clean set of clothes and bandages in my room. I combed my hair out and lay on my bed, my hair splaying out all over my pillow.

Just as the only wet bits in my hair remaining were the ends, I re-combed my hair and pinned it into a bun with the ends of hair flaring out. When I reached the bottom step I grabbed the cordless and dialed my dads work number. While I waited patiently for him to pick up, I grabbed a paddle pop and began sucking.

"Hello?"

"Hey, dad?"

"Yes? Honey? Is something wrong? Do you need me to come home now?" I laughed.

"I'm fine, dad, I just need you to buy some groceries for tonight… and tomorrow. And preferably stock up for the rest of the week"

After relaying the list to my dad, which took a very long time, I took a bite into an apple and cursed.

Yea, great Rin-Poo – 'vow not to eat anything healthy today'.

The doorbell rang and I walked over to open it.

White hair stood out and golden eyes stared at me.

I shut the door in Sesshoumaru's face.

* * *

A/N: sighs in relief it took me EIGHT days to finish this chapter! Which is pretty long considering it only took me three days to finish last chapter. My God. I think I rushed this chapter towards the end, but I think it'd be boring if I added anymore. Unless it were funny, which really, I don't think I can make so. Anyways, I'm writing on another Sess/Rin which is NOT an AU. But fear NOT! I only really work on it when I have EXTREMELY minor blocks on this one. I don't know whether or not to post it because I honestly don't think I'll be working on it that much. I'm babbling so I better stop and let you review in peace… you WILL review won't you! 

**Trinity: **gushes aw… thank you SO much! You have no idea how much it meant to me to read your review! I honestly didn't have a clue how everyone would react to Rin breaking into Sesshoumaru's home, I kept thinking that everyone would say it was unlikely, but I thought "all this pent up rage can just really send someone over the edge" you know? About the memory, I was a bit… nervous about this bit of the plot because **_I_** thought it would have been a bit… cliché! Setting up the incident was quite easy, it was just writing the whole bit where Rin was in the Izuki house that was pretty difficult for me but I tried my hardest to finish it for the sake of the reviewers! And it's all worth it when a review like yours comes up, it REALLY makes my day (and I only got a 46/85 on my geography half-yearly test argh!). 9.75? That's great! As long as your happy, I am as well. Yes, perfection is all in the eye of the beholder isn't it?

**Penguin10: **Kickass, eh? Lol thanks! ding correct! Anyways, here is your chapter and I hope you enjoyed it! It takes me a bit to post up each chapter coz I usually try to finish the next chapter before I post it so yea…

**IYWriterGirl: **ding Correct! Glad you're enjoying it so much!

**Lynn-Minmay: **does that humiliation happen to involve a half-naked Sesshie? (slaps oneself) argh! Too kinky! ding Correct!

**Jade Eyed Neko: ** Funny? Thanks! Hmm… I hadn't really thought about it… well, at least about the gossip bit. I honestly have NO idea, well, at the time I am writing this (11th of May), I'm in the middle of 8th chapter. By the time I post this, I'll probably have finished 8th chapter, so we'll just have to see huh?

**IceSugarHigh:** Yea, what a twist! I honestly just typed it up in the heat of inspiration! Haha, glad you like it! I'm still debating whether or not Sesshoumaru knows about it or not, I have another idea about it, but it's unlikely… anyway, you won't find out until the end of the story! Red jelly with whipped cream is very yummy!

**Einld: **Serena and Darien were like, my FAV couple, until I started watching Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha and now my favourite pairings are Enishi/Kaoru and Rin/Sesshoumaru! Haha but yes, they are quite sweet aren't they? I typed up roughly… (does Word Count) 4000 words, so I hope you're happy… although I don't know if I can keep writing… I need more reviews (hint, hint)

**San San As Herself: **crying? blushes geez, I don't know whether to feel guilty at all or not! Hehe, well I hope you enjoyed this chapters dosage of sess/rin interaction, coz there ain't gonna be much next chapter…

The thank you's keep coming for these people!  
**CometsChaos  
Shelly (correct!)  
Swimchick1614  
Silver Cerebrus** **(correct!)**

**Next Chapter: **a bad nightmare, Sesshoumaru, and Ms. Kentlyn (6)

(1) – I am horrible with names. Absolutely horrendous. So I figured that I just do the 'Mr.' thing. I'll probably call on someone to help me with names lol.

(2) He's a lawyer and he is not assessing the situation. I realise that. Just work with me here.

(3) VERY manga deprived. And anime deprived to. And therefore am very much Inuyasha-deprived. God forbid.

(4) OK, a lot of people can see a relationship between Alucard (or Arucard. No one actually knows, but my dvd case says it's Arucard. Whatever) and Integra. Or Alucard/Arucard and Seras. They're not immediately obvious, so I won't mention them in this story.

(5) I have NO idea whether these two taste good together or not. I ran out of whipped cream, so I couldn't try for myself. I promise you that as soon as I have both cheese crackers and whipped cream, I'll tell you the results.

(6) God this is a pathetic name. I got this name cause it's a suburb my friend lives in (bangs head on table) ARGH!

(7) I realize that I have a lot of notes in this chapter. Yes, I hate it too.

**Outtake #1:**

Tap, tap, tap.

"Are you done?" a gruff voice asked.

The clicking continued on.

"I asked you a question!" Rin's ears perked up.

"I'm sorry, was that the wind talking?"

**Outtake #2:**

Rin made her way out the library after checking a book out. Looking up, she saw Greg, a sheet of paper in his hand.

"I need you to do this for me" Rin sighed.

"Look, I told you I'm not into that kinky stuff!"

**Outtake #3:**

"Come on" I said impatiently, tapping the chair beside me "I can't work with my spine snapping itself trying to face you"

"Why not?" he said, innocently challenging me.

"Do you oppose to working side-by-side?" I questioned.

"Well in this case I am"

"And why is that?" The smirk surfaced. God how I hate that smirk.

"Because one of your blouse buttons are undone and you twisting around gives me, and only me, a good view of your bra. Too bad it's black…"

"Do you have a _problem_ with black?"

"Well I do prefer white lace"

"Is that a racist comment!"

**Outtake #4:**

Two can play at the underwear game, my dear Sesshoumaru.

Had anyone seen Rin on the way to the Izuki Estate, one could've heard:

_I have lost my underwear,_

_But I don't care – I'll stay bare_

_BYE BYE Longjohns!_

**Outtake #5:**

Sesshoumaru leaned back against his closed bedroom door. He began to pace, before taking a book from his shelf and settling onto his king-size to start enjoying it. Barely reading past the first sentence, Sesshoumaru threw the book onto the floor and put his hands behind his head.

Rin.

What an enigma.

What a sexy bitch! Rowr!

**Outtake #6:**

"You know, we should all grab the girls at Port Street and have a little party in the tree outside his room while he gets naked" I said sarcastically.

"Can we? I mean, you actually remember where that tree is?" Theresa asked. She and Pris seemed quite serious about my joke.

"Well… yea"

"OOH! You call Kagura and the others! I'll arrange snacks and lighting!"

"And I'll bring the video camera… and a Polaroid one too, in case we want some freeze frames!"

**I have no idea whether these outtakes are funny or not, I thought I'd just try my hand at them. Please tell me what you think!**


	8. Ms Kentlyn

Disclaimer: my older brother is currently glaring holes into the back of my head. If I DID own Inuyasha, I would not fear banging him on the head and having a lawsuit filed against me coz I would only have to bribe him NOT to file one against me. Does that actually make sense?

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Eight : Ms. Kentlyn

The old lady bustled about her living room, straightening rugs out, rearranging furniture and dusting things that really didn't need to be dusted. After she was done, she rushed into the kitchen and started kneading dough.

She sighed and looked at the pictures on her windowsill. One was of her husband, long gone for mysterious reasons, and another was of her precious Rin…

The old lady wiped her forehead and looked wistfully out into the sun; when would they come back to her?

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_I guess you're wondering how it is such a girl grew up with just a father? I mean, who could I have turned to about periods, pimples, boys… all that messy girl stuff?_

_Simple: Ms. Kentlyn._

_

* * *

_

… _I shut the door in Sesshoumaru's face…_

I inhaled like crazy. I think people call it hyperventilating.

I hyperventilated.

I paced around the bottom step of the staircase before walking into the kitchen and disposing of my paddle pop. As my buttocks hit the bottom step he knocked on the door again. My breathe hitched and I felt my eyes widen.

"Rin? Open up! I won't hurt you!"

What the…

"_Inuyasha!_" I asked incredulously as I yanked the door open.

Upon seeing his face, I let out a breath and a short laugh. I sniffed and asked him why he came by.

"I came to ask you about my brother… he didn't rape you did he? If he did I'll kill him" he said savagely. I was shocked and blinked a few times as Kagome peeped out from behind him.

"Sorry about his uh… rough tendencies but he's just like that, you know? He really is just a nice person…" she giggled. "Kagome" she stuck her hand out.

I took it and said slowly, looking at them warily, "I'm fine. It's nothing much – honest"

Inuyasha growled and looked like he was going to say something… not nice before Kagome grabbed the collar of his shirt and started tugging him away.

"Sorry" she managed "It was nice meeting you, Rin!"

I waved slowly at their fading backs and moved back inside, bemused. Blinking a few times I figured – at least it wasn't _him_ (1 – Sorry to disappoint all who was anticipating the reaction of Sesshoumaru!)

* * *

_(A/N: OK, basically, this part I'm editing because I've been warned by a nice reviewer that this part may be a slight breach in ratings. I want to keep this story PG-13, so I'll be asking the admins if this section is bad enough to make the whole entire story R-worthy. For now, you will have to put with a shoddy remake that I put together... it's a dream by the way!)_

_Is making out with Sesshoumaru passionately. Element of desire. Such and such. Scene change. Parents with blood coming out of wounds, evil red eyed creatures stab her parents over and over. Bees are everywhere. Rin screams "No" blah blah blah. Then Rin is the one holding the knife... blah blah blah..._

"NOOOOOOOO!"

I sit up, eyes wide. I am hot, I am sweating.

I can't breathe.

I run out my room, stumbling.

Why can't I breathe?

I quickly kneel in front of the toilet, palms flat against the cool tiles.

I heave.

As soon as I am finished I flush and sit back gasping.

Air, just the air.

I shivered and I knew it was not because I was cold.

I drew my knees to my chest and I hugged them. I did not know what I was staring at. Usually after these nightmares I could only see me stabbing my parents over and over…

… but I saw nothing.

I _felt_ Sesshoumaru's hair in between my fingers. I felt his skin pressed against my stomach…

I massaged my temples with my fingers and look up as I heard some rustling in the corridor. I saw my dad staring at me from the bathroom doorway, concern marring his young features.

"Are you alright?"

I just nodded, shaking back and forth.

"I told you that you shouldn't have eaten so much junk today" my dad gently chided me. Sitting down beside me on the cool tile and leaning on the glass shower barrier.

"It was another nightmare wasn't it?"

I nodded.

My dad put his arm around me and I leaned into him. We stayed like this for a few minutes.

"Dad, I'm never gonna get married, am I?" I asked sullenly. He looked back at me shocked, as though not expecting me to speak at all, and that even if he had, those were not the words he had expected to spill out of my mouth.

"Why do you say that? What happened to your plans of marrying an old but extremely wealthy man, then poisoning him before taking all his money?"

"_Dad_, in case you haven't noticed, that was when I was **fourteen**" I said, exasperated.

"And you're barely fifteen" I sulked. He was right.

"Is there any reason you asked me? Got turned down by a boy? Do I have to do that triple X talk right now?"

I giggled despite myself. "It WOULD be interesting to get a man's point of view…"

I laughed when I saw my dad's horrified expression. "No, Rin… NO!"

I laughed harder.

I clutched my hand to my mouth and lent back over the toilet bowl to throw up the remainder of the pizza we had that night.

"Seriously, why did you ask?" My dad asked after I spat and flushed.

"… I don't know. Average teenage morbidity?"

"Well I hope you won't start chucking a tantrum every night though, I got to get to work in the morning, you know" I smiled and hugged my dad hard. I held on or a few seconds before letting go and leaning back onto his shoulder.

"I think I should stay home err…" I checked the bathroom clock. 2:30am "today. I might just pick myself up and get a few things together"

My dad knew what I meant and he nodded. He kissed me on the forehead before carrying me back to my room, tucking me in and kissing me on the forehead again.

"I love you"

"I love you too"

* * *

I woke up fresh as a pansy… aside from the fat my mouth tasted like crap. 

I rubbed my eyes and got out of bed immediately to brush the taste out of my mouth before going back to my room and changing into a simple white v-neck t-shirt and an old pair of jeans. I slipped on my sneakers and grabbed an apple. I took a bite as I wrote a note and stuck it in the window, then I treaded outside and locked the door behind me.

I only had to walk about ten metres before I made it to my destination.

Ms. Kentlyn's home.

OK, let me explain. But first, I must ask you a question: how do you expect my dad to teach me how to use a tampon?

Ha! Got you there didn't I?

Answer is: he didn't – Ms. Kentlyn did.

Ms. Kentlyn is an old lady who lives next to my house. She may be old, but she's pretty cool. For a really short, plump woman, she really can bustle about! I remember when I was about eight or nine, I always went over to Ms. Kentlyn's place for lunch, so eventually she taught me how to cook. She taught me a lot of things, but not like as if she actually lectures me.

I think that's what sets Ms. Kentlyn (and the older generations in general) apart from 'adults'. She listens to me rant on about my pathetically study-filled life and then tells stories of her own, and from them, I learn. She knows almost **everything** about me, the only things she _doesn't_ know is my job; the homework and stalking one. Though stalking sounds so unprofessional.

I smiled. This was life as I knew it. They say simple pleasures are the best. And if being with Ms. Kentlyn is a simple pleasure, I wholeheartedly agree.

So anyway, before I even knocked on the door, it swung open and I was pulled inside.

"Oh, _Rin_! Your father told me about the stitches you had to get on your back! Are you OK? You simply **must** tell me what went on that dreadful night!" Next thing I knew, I was tossed onto her sofa, a plate of biscuits thrust in front of my face. I took a biscuit and began to nibble while Ms. Kentlyn began to move around the kitchen, talking to herself.

I suppose you're wondering how Ms. Kentlyn and I met? Well, it's kind of a cliché story, even if I do say so myself.

See, I was playing ball myself, which now that I look back at, really is a simple pleasure and a happy memory, although kind of sad and pathetic. Anyways, I was playing ball and next thing I know, it's over the fence, stuck in a rose garden. Don't ask me how it happened, after all, I was playing by myself. Must have been something to do with my hand-eye co-ordination skills… I am proud to say I can actually catch a ball now, and quite spectacularly too (I can recall this one time some kid threw my keys at another kid and I dived to catch it and I crash dived into… well, that's a story for another day)! So then I went over to Ms. Kentlyn's place and she gladly gave me back my ball following a lovely lunch involving jelly cups and a sandwich.

Next day at breakfast my dad gave me an earful about destroying other people's rose gardens which, might I add, was extremely unwise considering I was holding a knife and chopping up carrots for a snack. After about 20 minutes of non-stop "You just can't _do_ that, Rin!" he told me that I had to go over Ms. Kentlyn's home and help her re-plant her roses.

In the end, Ms. Kentlyn and I ended up on her back porch talking about how to make orange juice. Well, _she_ was talking about it, I was just sipping it.

About a week later, I decided to start volunteer work. I was and always have been obsessed with helping other people. It must have something to do with my adoptive mother lying in hospital, close to death…

I decided to do some work at the nursing home. Upon arriving there, they said that they only wanted _qualified_ people. And that's when I got pissed. Around me, all these older people were just being looked after, they didn't look like as if they were actually visited, or given any attention to. So I started the water works.

I may not cry a lot, but when the occasion calls for it, salt water start pouring. Loudly.

So in the end, they gave me an address to Ms. Kentlyn's home and said she needed the company. It's a small world after all, huh?

I've been coming back ever since, at least once a week visiting for an hour or two. It's amazing what we find to talk about and I guess I can really connect with her. She's like a grandmother to me, not like I'd really know considering all my grandparents are dead.

I haven't visited her in ages, and it felt like I had come home. Her old mouldy-smelling living room seemed so familiar and for some reason, like as if I was about to die, I breathed in so deeply, it hurt my chest. I felt tears prickling my eyes and I sniffed. Only three days ago I was living life happily, not a care in the world, full of hopeful dreams. Now… now I felt like everything I had ever worked for was all fake. Everything I had ever really done wasn't just to make my dad proud. Childishly, I had believed that if I was good at everything I did, the boy from so long ago would fall in love with me. Knowing that that boy is… _him,_ I just felt like it was all in vain.

Stupid, I know.

Ms. Kentlyn came back into the room, carrying a tray of tea and juice. She always gave me a choice, saying that in her day, everything had to be a done a certain way, no decisions. So now she had this thing about letting everyone decide for themselves. It's another thing I love about her so much.

Just looking at her, it made me feel this overwhelming sense of affection and soon as the tray was safely on the coffee table I leapt over it, hugging Ms. Kentlyn as though life itself could only continue if I did so. I immediately started to tell her about my job, the story and the connection to the little boy so long ago. Although I was not crying, my heart was racing and I was having trouble breathing. As I finished my story I did not sit back, instead I tightened my grip around her sweater and buried my cranium in its woolly depths. She softly rubbed her hand in circles on my back, slightly rocking me back and forth.

After a few moments, she leant back, her arms still wrapped around me.

"I don't understand why you help those morons" I glanced up and laughed as I saw Ms. Kentlyn's genial smiling face looking down upon my own. I cuddled closer. "So I'm guessing you don't know whether to like this boy or not right?" I nodded. I heard her sigh and her chest lightly heaved. "It's hard to say, had I been in your position I would have kissed him"

"What!" What was the old lady thinking, suggesting that to me! Ms. Kentlyn looked at me seriously.

"Life is too short to have regrets, to hold grudges and to always be curious. Sometimes you just have to do something more… out there to find the answers you seek"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean as in well… I remember when you were six all you did was smile and make daisy chains. You were scared of the dark and you wanted all the bugs in the world to stay from my garden. Now, you don't just smile, you expressively speak with not only your voice, but with your eyes and your actions. You aren't scared of the dark anymore, in fact, you prefer the dusk to dawn. And you no longer squash all the ladybugs on my tulips. People change Rin, but underneath, every person remains the same. It's just a matter of knowing how they've changed, how they've grown and how they still are. Do you understand me?"

I looked up. I understood. She was saying that perhaps Sesshoumaru still had an Inner Child. Who woulda thought?

"I understand what you mean, but it's hard to think that perhaps that boy still resides somewhere within Sesshoumaru…" I said reluctantly.

"Sometimes it's hard to find good in a person, and at other times you can doubt it's even there at all. All that is needed in the world is Faith. The belief a person can have in another is a powerful thing. Perhaps that little boy may not be there, perhaps in his place is someone who has grown; changed… but still carries the same traits. It can be hard to see but all you have to do is look"

I tried my best to understand Ms. Kentlyn's words but it was trifle bit difficult to figure out how the equation

**Sesshoumaru x Cute Little Boy Sesshoumaru x Biggest Ass in School**

worked. Instead of dwelling on it, I concentrated on the love and affection Ms. Kentlyn radiated and was just about to fall asleep when I heard soft footsteps on Ms. Kentlyn's wooden porch. I lifted my head and perked up my ears only to hear a fist tapping on the door. I groaned. The one moment of peace and contentment I got that didn't involve binging in the past two and a half days was disturbed.

I felt Ms. Kentlyn's arms slipping from my back and I pushed her back down.

"Don't worry about it, Ms. Kentlyn, I'll get it" I stood up and almost stomped my way to the front door, ready to give the intruder a tongue lashing… after of course, I beat him or her to a pulp.

I opened the door and for the second time in two days, I slammed the door in Sesshoumaru's face.

* * *

A/N: YAY! Can you believe it took me 25 days to finish this? Like OMG. And a week of it was spent starting up various other fanfictions. Then when I went back to this story, I only wrote another two or three paragraphs and I was done. Like, how is that for a subconscious vacation? Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Oh and since I've got a tonne of assignments to finish off, forgive me if the next chapter doesn't come out in less than two weeks. Also, would anyone like to volunteer to help me get some facts for my other non-AU fic? 

**Lynn-Minmay: **really? Me too. Well, not that often anyways lol! Thanks for the review!

**Forever and a Day: **I'm really happy that you think that my story deserves more reviews but in the end I think most of the people who read fanfictions like to see lots of Sess/Rin love-interaction… FAST, whereas I prefer the journey of how they got there, you know? Still, it's nice to know I have a lot of dedicated reviewers!

**IceSugarHigh: **LOL, I guess you were pretty disappointed, huh? And now you probably think the ending is another fake one… sigh that was a pretty funny idea you had for the outtake it was very in-character, unlike most of my OOC ones hehe.

**FallingKag: **You glomped that many people? O.O Nice to know it's funny hehe.

**Jade Eyed Neko: **I don't know whether or not to feel guilty, on one hand I made you laugh, and on the other hand I got you in trouble -.-;

**Trinity:** Argh, I guess you're another unhappy reviewer, ne? Considering it wasn't ACTUALLY Sesshoumaru… I feel like I've let you down T.T Thanks for reviewing all the same! I took your advice on putting the note next to the thingy so I hope that makes the reading experience all the more enjoyable! Yes, well she was upset, so I guess it calls for more eating, right? And just so she won't lose her figure, I'll make Rin have a fast metabolism.

**San San As Herself: **O.o Ghostrider?

**Einld: **Haha, you're not the only one thinking that! Well I guess the point was that she was really depressed without knowing it and so she turned to food and didn't realise she was binging… does that make sense? Lol really? reads over the outtakes lol yes very much so wink wink nudge nudge

And unconditional love goes out to:  
**IYWriterGirl  
CometsChaos  
Angel Trainee Flonne  
C'Fay  
Athana233**

**  
Next Chapter: **Jakken is… Married? A REAL Sesshoumaru encounter!

**Outtake #1:**

… _I shut the door in Sesshoumaru's face…_

I inhaled like crazy. I think people call it hyperventilating.

I hyperventilated. OMG what should I do? What should I wear? Is my hair OK?

**Outtake #2:**

"Dad, I'm never gonna get married, am I?" I asked sullenly. He looked back at me shocked, as though not expecting me to speak at all, and that even if he had, those were not the words he had expected to spill out of my mouth.

"Why do you say that? What happened to your plans of marrying an old but extremely wealthy man, then poisoning him before taking all his money?" I waved my hand, dismissing his statement.

"Been there, done that. The profit isn't that great after you've negotiated with lawyers – damn cheapo bastards"

**Outtake #3:**

My dad knew what I meant and he nodded. He kissed me on the forehead before carrying me back to my room, tucking me in and kissing me on the forehead again.

"I love you"

"I love money – I mean - you too"

**Outtake #4 **as suggested by IceSugarHigh

… _I shut the door in Sesshoumaru's face…_

I inhaled like crazy. I think people call it hyperventilating.

I hyperventilated.

I opened the door, preparing to see the handsome face of Sesshoumaru but instead saw…

Two lizards!

I yelped and stepped backwards. What the!

"A little memory I stored into your digital camera, since I found Ah and Un playing with it… you know, the lizards" he added when he saw my blank expression.

"Oh… right"

"Well just so you know, Ah and Un enjoy sweet virginated flesh so don't expect me to help you next time, moron!" he turned around and walked off.

My breathe grew even and I looked down at the camera in my hand – that's when realisation hit.

_"WAIT! THIS ISN'T MY CAMERA!"_

**OK! Send me any ideas you have for Outtakes and I'll try my hardest to type 'em out!**

Did you know that more reviews makes my fingers type faster?


	9. Thank You

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.glare There, are you happy now? Oh, what was that? You want me to announce to on a P.A system now?

**A Cool Kind of Punishment**

- Chapter Nine : Thank You

Sesshoumaru sighed and walked up the path leading to idiots home. Namely Rin. He raised his fingers to push the doorbell but noticed the note in the windowsill. After taking a few seconds to read the note, he growled and turned swiftly on his heel and made his way to the house where Rin was supposedly at.

Hearing nothing from inside, Sesshoumaru raised his fist and knocked on the door. He waited a few seconds before it snapped open, revealing a very shocked Rin. At once a look of utter dislike came over her face and the door slammed shut.

In his face.

Him, Sesshoumaru.

Who exactly did that girl think she was!

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Worst case scenario: being stuck in room with Sesshoumaru, Ms. Kentlyn and her brain loaded with memories of me when I was seven. SHUDDER. _

_OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. Worst case scenario would be stuck in room with Sesshoumaru… **alone**. Definite shudder._

_SHUDDER, SHUDDER, SHUDDER. Times three million. Urgh. Grosse. But yes, being stuck in room with Sesshoumaru, Ms. Kentlyn and her brain loaded with memories of me from when I was seven would also be incredibly horrible._

_

* * *

_

_I opened the door and for the second time in two days, I slammed the door in Sesshoumaru's face._

I felt a grim sense of satisfaction as I stared at the door and I could feel my lips being pulled into a smirk. I crossed my arms over my chest and began to tap my foot, as though stupidly expecting Sesshoumaru to _actually_ be able to see these acts.

"Rin?" came a hesitant voice behind me.

"It's fine, Ms. Kentlyn" I said back jovially "it's just a pathetic salesman (1 – I don't think salesmen are pathetic. It's just an insult to throw at Fluffy)"

"I heard that!" reached a voice through the door.

"Eavesdropping are we, _Fluffy-boy_?" I have no idea how it happened, but all of a sudden I seemed to almost enjoy bickering with Sesshoumaru. Probably because out of nowhere I came up with this oddly affectionate nickname.

"Don't call me Fluffy-boy!"

"Oh this is **ridiculous**!" cried Ms. Kentlyn, although secretly I think she was enjoying it too. She pried open the door and I quickly stepped out of the way to avoid being squashed, unlike poor, poor Mr. Cheavers. "Hello Fluf- err, young man! What can I do for you this fine day?"

I let out a choked laugh as I watched Sesshoumaru being talked _at_ by Ms. Kentlyn. Something about a fine day.

It was then I comprehended the full awfulness of the situation.

Sesshoumaru. On the front porch. Obviously looking for me. As I remember what I wrote in that note on the windowsill.

**Oh dear God.**

I came back to reality in time to hear "… come in, come in, Rin's right here!"

Sob sob… sob sob… Why me, why me? Have I done something to offend you, my Guardian Angel?

I looked on, gloomily, as Sesshoumaru stepped onto **my** turf and walked into the living room as though he was a regular.

"Here's your chance" I heard a whisper at my shoulder and I glanced at Ms. Kentlyn in time to see her wink at me before crossing the living room and dining to get to the kitchen. I followed behind her and sat numbly on the cushy armchair besides the sofa on which Sesshoumaru sat.

Talk about a mood changeover.

I felt my mouth open a few times as my larynx attempted to form the words in which to accompany them. Insulting words. Words to make dear ol' Fluffy pee off.

"As graceful as your gapping is, I doubt it's suitable for one as I, Sesshoumaru" **that** set my mouth back into working order.

"Well as much as you piss me off, I doubt it's socially acceptable to grab a fork, take out your spinal cord and feed it to some guppy fish"

"Guppy fish? Strangely **not** terrifying, Miss. All-Round-Nice-Girl-of-Year-10"

"I'm a nice person, not a goody two-shoes"

"Well guppy fish is a very nice start for a beginner"

"I'll show you beginner in a minute -"

"Cookies everyone!" Ms. Kentlyn interrupted us with a wide smile that left me with no doubt that she _knew_ she was interrupting us.

Sesshoumaru and I took a cookie each, careful not to make contact of any kind. It was bad enough having to breathe the same air as him. While we nibbled at the sweet treat we stared each other. Imagine a western film where the two cowboys are staring at each other, ready to shoot one another or something. You know what I mean, right? That scene where there's a major show of testosterone amountage. Is 'amountage' even a word? 'Cause it damn well should be! But why was I even worrying about the lack of important words in the English dictionary when Sesshoumaru was currently staring at me speculatively with his honey eyes…

I turned my head quickly, lifting the choc chip cookie to my lips to give my hands something to do. His unwavering gaze disconcerted me and I couldn't help but have a little flashback involving a hospital, a grazing of my knee, white hair and few whispered words in a low, even voice… I twisted my head to the other side and tucked stray hairs behind my ear. In my head echoed Ms. Kentlyn's words and I sneaked a quick glance at Sesshoumaru. Could Little Sesshoumaru possibly still be living within Big Sesshoumaru? I mentally shook myself. It wasn't like I had actually known Little Sesshoumaru anyways, so how could I really think about Big Sesshoumaru as a… _nice_ person? But now that I knew for a fact that Sesshoumaru was indeed the boy from so long ago, it totally stuffed up how I looked at people.

I mean, take Big Sesshoumaru. Looking at him today you wouldn't think that he's help someone. He'd probably just look at them coldly then walk away with some remark like "I'll sue you". And yet, nine years ago he had helped me up, bandaged me… no derisive comment included. He had helped, at no benefit towards himself, which confuses me. Could Fluffy actually be human? These thoughts ran around my head and made me even more confused, after all, I started off hating him only to find out that it had been him whom I had been dreaming about all these years. Perhaps… perhaps I had been going about this the wrong way.

At that precise moment, everything made sense. I had been so naïve and ignorant and so assuming that although it should've been obvious, I had not noticed the similarities.

And then at **that** precise moment another thought hit me so hard I almost couldn't breathe - all this time I thought I was a nice person, loved by everyone and loving them in return… but it was all just a simply dream within my head. I had hated Sesshoumaru, I had made assumptions about him because he managed to get by because of his good lucks, intelligence and rich daddy - I had never gotten to know him before I judged him.

What had I become?

"I'm doing the laundry now… it'll give you a bit of time to make your move!" Ms. Kentlyn said in a low whisper, her eyebrows waggling. I took no heed of her words, intent on only making amends with the boy sitting across me.

"Look I'm -"

"Here's the thing -"

We both stopped as we realized we had started talking at the same time. Was it possible that Sesshoumaru was nervous? Or was it because he just wanted to get everything over with? Come to think of it, why was Sesshoumaru even here? It had been one and a half days since that night in his room… what did he want? I felt slightly panicked and opened my mouth again to speak.

"About the -"

"About the -"

I laughed softly and Sesshoumaru indicated that I speak first.

"Look… I'm sorry" Sesshoumaru seemed mildly shocked, and for him, that was saying _a lot_. I can kind of understand - although I was a renowned nice person in my grade, it wasn't like I had been bosom buddies with him. In fact, I had been incredibly mean and stubborn towards him. So I continued. "About everything. It's just that… I feel absolutely horrible that I was being so… judgmental of you. I didn't live up to other peoples… expectations of me as a nice person, and I'm sorry"

"So basically all you're saying is that you don't want to tarnish your clean reputation at Port Street and you're only apologizing to me to make _yourself_ feel better"

"_WHAT!_" I felt my blood pressure immediately rise and I clenched my fists and bit the inside of my cheek to calm myself down. "No. The point of me apologizing is to -"

"Make me want to forget that you trespassed onto our family estate?"

"Dammit! Why must you keep thinking that I am hoping that you'll forgive me for my own purposes? I really am truly thankful that you didn't alert the authorities about the incident and on that night… I realized some things about you that most people probably wouldn't be able to understand. Sesshoumaru… I really am truly sorry that I made assumptions about you and this probably doesn't mean anything to you, but we're working together on an assignment that's worth around 25 percent of our overall mark for English. I don't think there should be any recriminations between us that could compromise our work. And it's not like as if I want to be a total meanie to you afterwards either, I really want to be your friend and although that, too, may not mean anything to you, it does to me" And it did. Being able to get past Sesshoumaru as a 2-dimensional person really gave me sweet relief. I was getting back onto my two feet, stable as ever. I was **me** again. "So please, if we could just ignore who we are and whatever bad things happened between us, perhaps we could… perhaps things just wouldn't be as bad"

Silenced filled the small space between us and I was ever-aware of his incessant staring. I twitched once or twice as I repeated what I said in my head. I realized that I may have sounded slightly selfish and I silently cursed myself.

(2 - Andrew was here 2004! LONG LIVE THE PUCHU!)

"Usually when Jakken apologizes he bows down to me…" My mouth dropped open and I was close to having an apoplectic attack when Sesshoumaru intervened, "Relax, Tsuyame. Anyone with a soul can tell you're not some green toad that stands at less than 50cm (3 - ok um… let's see… this is around 1ft 8''). Now I came to ask you why you showed up at my home with a camera"

This was a problem. Kagura had later arranged for me to keep her identity a secret and it wasn't like I relied on the money, but it was the promise I had made to her. If Kagura spread around that I was untrustworthy, that would kill everything I had ever worked for. Everyone's trust, everyone's… dependency on me. I opened my mouth to speak only to have Fluffy cut in.

"I know that you're the person who has a very… interesting… hobby. One that is of much interest and use to many types of people… do not think to lie to me about this, Rin"

"I came to take pictures of you getting undressed and I was planning to sell it to the student population at Port Street. Your body is under much demand" I said, my voice in a level, indifferent tone.

Sesshoumaru's eyes in turn narrowed and his lips parted slightly before Ms. Kentlyn bustled back into the room, smiling, although it left no doubt that he had intended to poke holes in my lie.

As Ms. Kentlyn hobbled back and forth, talking about inconsequentials, I marveled at how fast the atmosphere changed. It had gone from smug, to shock, to awkwardness, to regret and then anger. One would call the fragile 'relationship' between Sesshoumaru and I unstable, but I called it Destruction in the Making. I was locked in thought when I felt a sharp pang at my ankle.

"Did you just _kick_ me?" Instead of answering me, Sesshoumaru tilted his head toward my right. I looked over and saw Ms. Kentlyn in a picture with her estranged husband (4 - Can't you just TELL who it is), from around fifteen years ago just before their separation. Or rather, him packing up and leaving in the middle of the night without a note of explanation. Despite the fact that Mrs. and Mr. Kentlyn would have been only around 40 at the time of the photo being taken, her husband was already bald, short and had a bad posture.

Please take note that bad postures are SO not sexy! That isn't the only thing though, his skin was _green_. Not the slightly-tinged green or the green that comes from having infections but as in 'Green, I was born ugly' kind of green. Eek!

She's never mentioned Mr. Kentlyn's name, but in my head a word stirred in my head… J… Ken? My brow creased as I struggled to remember exactly. I remember Jakken was the butler in Sesshoumaru's home. And from what I can recall from two nights ago he was some short, bald, green and -

Oh my God. Oh dear. W - whoa…

I rotated my head around back to Sesshoumaru and opened my mouth to say something when he took a cookie from the tray sitting on the table and thrust it into my mouth. Choking, I didn't bother to scowl back at Ms. Kentlyn when she whispered in my ear "My, my there's a lot of laundry today…"

Crumbs thoroughly swallowed and respiratory system back into working order, I glared at Sesshoumaru.

"What was that for!"

"Well I didn't want you to say anything in front of your nice neighbor"

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'd heard that you often came here for charity, one would have thought that you'd have figured that you never see her husband"

"I **did** know! But what does that have anything to do with trying to murder me with a cookie! You could've at least poured scalding tea on me or something! Something that makes people _not_ want to say 'Wasn't she the biggest idiot you've ever heard of?'''

"Have a little sensitivity, Rin. You'd know well that she hasn't seen her husband for nearly 16 years now"

"Huh. Sensitivity, that's rich coming from you" but it was true. I hadn't stopped to think about what I was going to say, as usual. "So what are we going to do?"

"Do? It's not any of my business" I glared at him.

"Argh! Well it'd be pretty interesting to know _why_ Jakken decided to work for your family instead of staying with his _wife_, right? What'd you and your family do? Blackmail him? With what? He looks a bit sad to blackmail! Don't you have _any_ pity? Dammit -" the end of the sentence was lost when his hand clamped over my mouth.

"Just as nosy as they say, I see. Don't you ever shut up?" I was about to shoot back with another question just to annoy him when his mobile vibrated in the pocket of his jeans. After a few seconds of 'yes', 'of course' and 'Inuyasha is you touch anything, the sword I covet will be stained with your blood' he slipped the mobile back into his pocket and sat up. "Excuse me, but I must take my leave"

I followed him out to the front porch and as he was about step onto the footpath I grabbed his hand. As he turned around he looked at me attentively. I don't know why, but I was secretly hoping that he'd look annoyed or surprised or something just so that I could **know** that I could do this to him. Make him show me what he's feeling, something he's never done at school or anyone else. Make me feel like as if I actually mattered to him, like as if I was noticed.

Like as if… like as if it was only me and him and him and me. Just us two. Together.

Him looking at me, not coldly or bored, but like as if he were listening gave me some sort of cheap thrill that instantly warmed me. I felt warm and I smiled.

"Thank you… for everything" I whispered. What 'everything' meant, I had no idea of, but I had a feeling it was something that in the next few months I would be discovering, bit by bit.

Something flickered behind that irrevocably still face and he turned away and walked towards his car. He drove away but something told me that he wouldn't have given anyone else the time of day. Not like he had done with me.

* * *

"Rin? Hello? Earth to Riiiin" a voice snapped me out of thoughts.

"Huh?" Pristine and Theresa rolled their eyes.

"I was just saying that you didn't miss anything from Math today. Mr. Dillon was away 'cause he was sick. Thank the freaking heavens! What are you all dreamy about anyways?" Theresa added when I didn't reply.

"Probably Sesshoumaru" Pristine added slyly.

"Probably wasn't" I shot back, irritated. Although, yes, _maybe_ I was thinking about him, it wasn't like I was dreaming about us being a couple or anything - nothing remotely kissy-touchy. I was just thinking about Jakken and Ms. Kentlyn and how Sesshoumaru's fingers felt on my cheek when he stopped me from talking… I mentally cursed myself. I wasn't crushing on Fluffy. I **wasn't**.

Right?

It had only been a few minutes after Fluffy had left that Pristine and Theresa came in, talking the whole way. Of course, Ms. Kentlyn, being a gossip herself, just _had_ to mention Sesshoumaru's visit, at which point Pristine and Theresa squealed. And of course, the result being I phased out, consumed with thoughts.

"Yo, Earth to Rinz? If you're going to keep eating all the choc chip cookies you should earn your share and tell us the juicy details" to their shock I simply replied,

"Juicy, eh? Well…" I paused dramatically for effect, "I learnt to be thankful" I ended cryptically and laughed at their gossip-deprived faces before walking out into the sun, and making my way home.

* * *

A/N: Wow, this took me almost a month to do. Procrastinating included, and I am SO sorry about the lateness to this chapter! If you cut out all the procrastination you probably would have gotten this chapter two weeks ago. Yes, I know, I'm incredibly pathetic. I guess this chapter took so long 'cause I had NO idea what was in this chapter besides the fact that Rin and Sesshoumaru were supposed to talk with Ms. Kentlyn too. In the end it just ended up as this piece of crap where I think I repeated myself ten billion times over. And let me say that Rin and Sesshoumaru weren't supposed to get along for like, another THREE chapters I think. Next chapter has a bit more of a plotline though I DO think it's a bit shorter. And I know what's going to happen, so I think I'll be able to get it posted real soon.

Oh, and another thing? The second note was when my brother decided he wanted to type something stupid, and the Puchuu is some THING from 'Excel Saga'. Oh and just ONE more thing, Sesshoumaru has two arms, but then again this IS Alternate Universe so yes… And just ONE more thing, promise! I think the first few chapters to this story really suck. Yes.

**Anhimals: **Really? You took one of the quotes? Which one? Was it that meaningful? Lol

**Nekurahime: **Haha, glad you like the outtakes so much, I try my best!

**CometsChaos: **It confused you? Damn, I was trying really hard to incorporate another reviewer's idea for an outtake into my story… guess it didn't work, ne?

**Trinity: **You know whenever I read your reviews I keep thinking Trinity from the Matrix is talking to me. So when I flash back to your first review, I would call what I felt… surprised! But yea, I agree with you and the surprised bit. I think I first wrote this story 'cause sometimes I feel "Sesshoumaru looks at Rin and falls in love with her / grows obsessed with her then has sex with her then gets attacked by Naraku" is a bit overdone, you know?So this time, although there WILL be Naraku, it won't be all lovey-dovey and all out-of-Sesshoumaru-character. Or at least, so I'm thinking. But yes… 'Jakken married to Ms. Kentlyn'… I didn't feel this was going to live up to everyone's expectations (seeing as they were all shocked and everything) so yea. Hope this one goes done well for you!

**Annienominos: **Thanks! There was another person who didn't get it, so I was worried everyone wouldn't like it!

**Sikaria: ** Hmm… I think I mentioned that Rin lived in Australia which is where I lived in one of the Author Note's a few chapters back… but ah wellz! I'm glad you like it so much!

**IceSugarHigh: **Oh… Kay… I'm very sorry but your Outtake idea was very jumpy from one spot to another. Who is 'she'? If you give me more detail I'll put it in the next chapter. Yea, I know hehe, but I doubt Sesshie does drag… OR DOES HE! But yes… (cough, cough)

**Niichan626: **Really? I didn't think it was too bad 'cause in the rating thing it said it was allowed a bit of mention… when I last checked cough cough But yes, I really appreciate you telling me about it in case I got reported or something. I've taken it out and I've replaced it with a shabby remake so hopefully it's allowed! Was it that big a cliffhanger? I have a serious habit of underestimating everything and when all these people go "you're so funny!" and "OMG how could you do that!" I have no idea what they're going on about lol

And OoSez thanks… :

**Swimchick1614**

**Angel Trainee Flonne**

**IYWriterGirl**

**C'fay**

**Lynn-Minmay**

**Athana233**

**Asylum100**

**Polaris-fire-star**

**Next Chapter: **Back to school, an assault, and the much anticipated line "Oh Sesshoumaru, you're my hero!". Can you guess who says it?

**Outtake #1**

"Rin?" came a hesitant voice behind me.

"It's fine, Ms. Kentlyn" I said back jovially "it's just a pathetic"

"I have to make a living somehow you know! It's not as bad as the time when I joined that strip joint!"

**Outtake #2**

I felt my mouth open a few times as my larynx attempted to form the words in which to accompany them. Insulting words. Words to make dear ol' Fluffy pee off.

"As graceful as your gapping is, I doubt it's suitable for one as I, Sesshoumaru" THAT set my mouth back into working order.

"Well as much as you piss me off, I doubt it's socially acceptable to grab a fork, take out your spinal cord and feed it to some guppy fish"

Sesshoumaru gasped. "Not that guppy fish! Oh please not the guppy fish! Not again!"

**Outtake #3**

… Being able to get past Sesshoumaru as a 2-dimensional person really gave me sweet relief. I mean, honestly, just because he was in some cartoon series where his arm got chopped off didn't mean I had to feed him to guppy fish.

**And here's a nice fluffy one for those who were hoping it would happen - Outtake #4**

I followed him out to the front porch and as he was about step onto the footpath I grabbed his hand. As he turned around he looked at me attentively and I took a step forward and lightly placed a kiss on his lips.

"Thank you" I whispered, "… for everything"

Please review, it would mean a lot to me and also, if you want chapters to come out quicker, just send me a MILD take note I said _MILD_ flame telling me to update sooner. No swearing, 'cause I'll start crying.


	10. Weary Acquaintances

Disclaimer: … I won't even bother to point out the obvious, MORON!

**WARNING: this chapter has a minimum amount of humor. Even less than previous chapters. Oh dear GOD.**

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Ten :; Weary Acquaintances

Pristine and Theresa walked leisurely down the footpath that led to their apartment complex, bags over their shoulders, ties loose and tongues waggling.

"Ms. Kentlyn said that Sesshoumaru had been by" Theresa gossiped lowly.

"But she didn't mention anything about anything happening" Pristine pointed out.

"So? I mean, she and Rinz are pretty close, I reckon she wouldn't wanna embarrass Rin too badly, or betray her trust and privacy"

"You have a point, Miss-One-Time-Wise-Words"

"I think Rin is rubbing off on you"

"Hasn't she always? You know how she is! She just… she just… gets noticed you know what I mean?"

"Well yea, _duh_, Pristine, we've only just been her best friends _for nine bloody years_!"

"I suppose, but then you'd know exactly what I'm talking about! She's always giving and never getting, even though her methods aren't always err… socially acceptable, and despite all her protests of her greatest reward being 'those sweet smiling faces' she really does deserve something in return," Pristine's voice grew high-pitched as she mimicked Rin.

"Or someone…" Theresa remarked with an evil smirk on her lips.

Rin's two best friends walked home, for once feeling that perhaps Rin would finally be able to have something tangible (and living?) all to herself.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_What was that? You wanted to read more about my social life at school? Well, since you insist, my dear dairy - I mean, diary._

_Our school is segregated into different groups and cliques and the what nots. There's those people that are somewhere in the middle: kinda like me, Pris and Theresa. Then there's the gossipy girls, good girls, smart kids, gothics, punks and so on so on._

_On one end of the scale there's the 'cool' and popular people ie. Sesshoumaru (his tagger-ons not included) and his brother Inuyasha with his girlfriend, Kagome, whom I had the ah… shock of seeing some few days ago. Oh yea, and Sango and Miroku._

_But then… there's also the other end of the chain where err… well umm… the err… naughtier people lie? I guess? And naughty as in 'I bash you up, steal your money then give you forty cents to call the police' kind of naughty. I guess there's the Thunder Brothers, because apparently they either struck by lighting (which is probably why one of them only has two strands of hair!) or they strike when lightning… strikes? Is it just me or did my English just get worse? There's also the Seven Man Group, or the Shichinintai as they are also known. Really, I could name many, many people. For a school with such an upstanding reputation, we really do pick 'em. Or do they pick us? In the end, I don't really mind any of them. Except for maybe…_

_Maybe… a former student. Now I don't want to give you the wrong impression but ah… let me just tell you that err…_

_hekilledhiscrushtogetridofhisobsession. Hehe, I guess you'd want me to repeat that? **He killed his crush to get rid of his obsession**. Yup, you read right. Not that it was actually proved, but it WAS taken to trial and it was only on the basis that those stupid police officers that arrested him hadn't read out his rights that he was released and it was deemed a mistrial. The worst that could happen to him was getting expelled for posing as a danger to other students. Sometimes you can see him loitering around, wearing his dark, wavy locks just staring into the school. And what's scarier is that sometimes I feel like as if he's staring at_ **me.**

**Me**_, of all people._

_And I wonder… what could I have done to piss off Naraku so much?_

_

* * *

_  
My eyes opened blearily and I rolled over to get into a more comfortable position.

And could you believe it, but I fell on the floor!

Silly me, hahaha… because I always thought that breathing in dust mites was** _oh-so-freaking-fun!_**

Yanking on my pillows and blanket like a rope got me up. But let me give you a picture of what I looked like: hunched shoulders, fists clenched and a very vicious scowl on my face.

In less than three seconds I was launching myself onto the bed and throwing my pillows everywhere. Of course, my dad has learnt that buying me duck-feathered pillows are a complete waste of money, so he bought those dura-lux ones. 'All comfort, all resistant' was their slogan. And as a result, no much-desired flying feathers were spewing forth, which of course, made me even more moodier, at which point I kept jumping on the bed yelling "I don't want to! I don't want to!"

Not at the top of my lungs of course, Ms. Kentlyn doesn't need to be reminded of when I was nine and I didn't wanna sell Mr. Rabbit to some snotty-nose kid… but you didn't wanna know that, did you? But really, that's not the point. The point IS that after flinging myself back onto my bed I twisted and turned, therefore twisting and turning the blankets over my body like ribbon like as if I had a seizure. Not that I've wrapped myself in ribbon. Because I haven't. I swear. Really.

"Rin?" My dad came up in a panic, probably scared I had ripped one of my stitches open. Upon seeing the room in disarray and my mouth in a sulky like, he sighed and walked over wearily (and warily) to my bed. "Rin, what is it this time?"

"I don't wanna go to school" I had a strange sense of déjà vu from the third grade but I quickly shook the feeling as my dad sighed again.

"Oh no, not one of _those_ days again" my dad sighed again, and I feared that he may die of oxygen overdose. "Rin, you have to"

"Don't wanna!"

"Rin…" he said in a very dangerously low tone.

"What?"

"Rin, get up and get changed, now!"

"You're not the boss of me!" I challenged, and even I must admit that I sounded childish. But only somewhat so. I mean, he really WASN'T the boss of me. My dad put his hand and massaged his temple with his fingers, the other arm crossed over his chest.

"Alright then, Rin" he said, before hefting me over his shoulder and taking a now familiar path towards my bathroom. Seeing that, I immediately began pounding on his back and squealing.

"Nooo! NOOO! You can't! You **can't!**" I sobbed before he turned on the cold water and reminding me painfully about the bruise on my sluggish backside - in other words, slamming me into the bath. "ARGH! My buttocks! My precious buttocks!" I cried, rubbing it.

"Rin! Are you alright?" my dad asked in a panic. If I had not been so busy rubbing blood back into my posterior I would have rolled my eyes so instead I glared at him reproachfully.

"Well maybe you should have thought of that _before_ you reminded me of Monday night -" I stopped suddenly. Even though the shock had worn off and I had gotten past it, I had not yet told my dad what had physically happened that night - nor was I planning to. There was an odd silence stretching between us and everything stilled, even my hands.

"Why don't you want to go school?" my dad asked quietly.

"It's nothing…" I mumbled. "Just lazy is all…"

"You'd tell me if something was wrong right?" he spoke, eyes downcast.

"Dad! Of course I'd tell you! It's just that I've gotten used to staying at home these past two days and I'm a little tired and moody…" my dad looked a little suspicious but he answered me.

"Well the doctor did say for you to rest and what do you do? Run around eating junk food and cookies at Ms. Kentlyn's. Poor lady must have had her life cut short when she met you"

"She knows she loves me"

"My life's been cut down too"

"You know you love me too"

"Of course I love you" he replied before hugging me. We stayed that way for a few minutes before I opened my mouth to speak.

"Dad? Is it OK if we turn the cold water off now?"

* * *

Giving myself the once-over in the mirror I was finally satisfied with the bandages covering my torso and exited the bathroom. I plucked the coat hanger from the doorknob; freshly pressed uniform draped over, and flung it onto my bed. I pulled one section from the front hemisphere from my head into one ponytail, and repeated on the other side. I wrenched on the grey stockings, seeing as the seasons were changing and humans had unwittingly introduced Global Warming, before jerking on the rest of uniform. I pulled my hair out of my blue jumper and grabbed my bag, checking all my books were inside before grabbing my keys and locking my door, my shoes tapping on the cold cement.

I was, as expected, late to school. I would have been later, of course, had my dad not thought to give me a cold shower. But on the other hand, I would have been on time if my dad hadn't rejected my request of a lift to school (which he had rejected after taking one look at my wet clothes, un-pressed uniform and glinty eyes).

So here I was, sighing as I filled in my late pass, smiling ruefully as the office lady said, "Back again, are we?"

I walked calmly to class, hefting the single strap over my bruised shoulder before I calmly stood in front of the door. The entire school seemed so quiet and calm, I finally realized how much the morning tired me. I knocked on the door lightly and was surprised to see it open expectantly.

"Ohayo" I smiled weakly.

"Rin, there you are. Later than usual, but still here. It's English by the way, not Japanese that we speak" Ms. Ruskit said airily before going back to lecture the class. I made my way over to the desk next to Pristine and dropped the bag from my shoulders before slumping in my chair. Struggling I searched through my bag for my pencil case and in a lethargic state, I began to take notes.

As was usual, the class packed up a few minutes before the bell rang to signal second period and I sighed before standing and almost fell had it not been for the Ice Prince who clasped my arm suddenly and setting myself upright before continuing on his way. I distantly heard a whispers and I made a note to dispel whatever weird rumors were going around while I walked slowly to Math. As Theresa had said, Mr. Dillon had been struck with some sickness and we had a filler. Fortunately, the filler was Mr. Cashew, who would drone on about anything and was pretty much a male version of Ms. Kentlyn.

I slept my way through second period, aware that had it not been for my head resting on the table, eyes closed, I would have been interrogated, along with Sesshoumaru by the entire class. I was strangely sympathetic towards Fluffy before I fell into light dreams of falling from a tree.

* * *

I woke up, and although I had not yet opened my eyes, already I knew that I was not still in the math classroom. For one, I was lying on my back, and for two, I could hear only silence before I heard a familiar timbre of voice.

"Rin! Rin! Are you up yet?" I was about to open my mouth to say, "no I'm still on my back" when another voice spoke up.

"Shut up, idiot! You heard what the nurse said, she's unconscious!"

"I just saw her eye twitch!" I was faintly amused at the way the conversation was going, and I decided to stay as still as possible before they realized that I had finally woken. I refused to believe I was unconscious, even though it was obvious that I was knocked out enough to have been sent here.

"Everybody's eyes twitch!"

"Na-ah!"

"Yea-ah!" Pristine retorted and I smiled.

Damn. Trust **me** to blow my cover.

"Rin!" I opened my eyes to see Theresa and Pristine hovering above me. I stared back up at them and the silence stretched between us. However, the moment didn't last long and in moments both Theresa and Pristine were babbling explanations.

I rubbed my temple and I strained my ears to separate each word from the next. I gleaned that I had not in fact, been asleep, but pretty much unresponsive to even the most vicious shakes and vain attempts to wake me up to go recess. Somehow, I made it here.

"How did I get here?" I asked, puzzled.

"Oh!" Theresa gasped and she straightened her shoulders. I could tell she was readying herself for a 'great' story. "Well, you see" she started, before being cut off by Pristine.

"The Ice Prince carried you here!" Although Theresa seemed a little miffed by Pristine's interruption, she re-established her presence.

"Bridal style!"

"Oh he's so noble!"

I resisted the urge to laugh at their love-lorn faces and coughed instead.

"Oh! You're alright!" cried the nurse, shocking all three us. She flurried around the room, signing papers and grabbing a cup of water for me before sitting down beside Pristine. "You were unconscious, darling. Now," she stood up and reached over to grab a small form, "have you engaged in any sexual activity in recent times? Are you still a virgin? Are you feeling nauseous?" Bemused, I answered her questions (and yes, for your information, I **am** still a virgin), waiting for her to tell me that I had only six months left to live. I jolted out of my regret when she spoke again. "Now, as you've told me, you've been sick for the past few days and have _not_ had rest" she said accusingly, as though I had commit some crime that was about to end the world. "Now, I want you to drink lots of _water_ today" she emphasized, as though I didn't know what **water** was, "and not do anything too _strenuous"_ she scribbled something on a yellow piece of paper and ushered me back into the cold.

"What was _that_ all about?" Pristine asked as we made our way to the usual patch of grass that we sat on every recess and lunch.

"Didn't you hear her?" I asked mock-seriously, "I can't do anything too _strenuous_" I said, emphasizing my words much like the nurse had done. Theresa got onto the game.

"And you cannot, just _cannot_, be involved in any sexual activity!"

"Feeling nauseous, _darling_?" Pristine added, patting my belly.

We all lapsed into giggles, and despite feeling tired, I felt happy - and normal.

Was I just being paranoid?

* * *

The hallway was empty as I trudged my way towards my locker.

Although I was in a surprisingly good mood, I was dead tired due to:

fighting off rumors about Sesshoumaru and I (the most popular of which was where I was the victim, so in actual fact, I ended up defending Sesshoumaru's honor which, of course, resulted in having his fangirls swooning and crying that of course he would never do such a horrible and desperate thing, because Sesshoumaru wasn't a desperate man, he was a beautiful man and blah blah blah)

having to reason with the PE teacher to let me off PE, only to have to run around for half an hour before I realized that the yellow slip the nurse had scribbled on me was a note of exemption

and pure stress on my body after The Fever and the Fall (don't you think that makes such a good title? Like for a mystery or romance? Or maybe even a romantic mystery!)

I put all my schoolbooks in my bag, having done all my homework during lunch, as was a habit since the days when I had done others essays. I paused in neatening my locker to mull over Greg's words and I realized with a shock that I had not thought much of it in the days that had ensued as so much had happened. Frowning slightly, I walked out of the school gates still pondering what to do with the situation.

I could always simply abandon the situation and focus on my own problems, after all, it wasn't like I had needed the money. And it wasn't like as if I was doing the world the favor by making it easier on them, and Greg had said it himself - it hadn't helped them anyway.

But my own guilt in not helping them _do_ something with their lives consumed my conscience and I didn't notice someone following me out of the school until they had pinned me against the wall. I twisted my head quickly to yell for help but they placed their hands over my mouth and my eyes widened.

"No point in making it more difficult for yourself my dear sweet girl…" I felt a hot wind down my neck and shivered slightly. Despite present circumstances, I managed to find some space within my mind to wonder the differences of how the intruder and the nurse said dear. Feeling my compliancy, he loosened his hand.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I whispered. To my surprise I heard a rich laugh. What kind of thief or robber would have such an indulgent laugh?

"Answering you would kind of defeat the purpose" I felt a chill go down my spine as I pinpointed whose voice it was.

**Naraku.**

And I felt some sort of sick pleasure having someone so attractive lean his body against mine, mixing with my fear.

"What do you know of Sesshoumaru?" And I have no idea why I answered how I did, but I did.

"He likes wearing boxers and not briefs" I muttered and a chuckle rose from deep within his throat.

"Silly, I would have thought that one of Port Streets most academically-achieved students would be smart enough to know better than to provoke _me_" he said lowly, leaning against me harder and I whimpered.

"I don't know anything yet, I swear," I whispered, close to tears. I was tired, cold and I wasn't made to cope with such fears as was embodied in Naraku.

He spun me around to face him, but both his arms were on either side of my head and prevented me from running. He stared at me long and hard and I stared back.

"You seem so much like Kikyo… yet so dissimilar" he whispered, and I was shocked at the longing in his voice. He leaned closer and I found myself not cringing…

* * *

A/N: HAHAHAHAHA! I was gonna add more but decided… THIS WAS THE PERFECT CLIFFHANGER! (dodges the online tomatoes) kekekeke… I am so indescribably evil that I make myself … CRINGE! Hehehehe… Anyways, I tried to get this one out ASAP 'cause everyone was complaining about how long it took me to update, so here it is! Anyways, I'm really sorry about the wait for last chapter, but assignments and blocks and everything, very difficult conditions.

**KitKat07: **Wow, I was so breathless when I realized that such a popular fanfic writer had reviewed my story, and I'm really thankful you enjoy my story when I thought it really sucked.

**CometsChaos: **Hehehe, I hope your story isn't growing any mould…

**AngelofFire: **Thanks! I reread the outtake and didn't think it was as sweet as I initially thought, but if you're happy, then that's good!

Extra thank you's and presents to:

**Lynn-Minmay**

**Athana233**

**Dolphin-Slam**

**Chel bel**

**Next Chapter: **A kiss? A punch? A dance? Who knows!

**No outtakes this time, but I'll make up for it next time, I swear! And the reason is because I have to go beddies, but wanted to have this chapt out ASAP!**

Please review, it really does mean much more to me that you'll ever know…


	11. Not So Icy

Disclaimer: Bang, bang, he shot me down. Bang, bang, I hit the ground. Bang, bang, that awful sound. Bang, bang, my baby shot me down. What was that? I don't own Kill Bill? … alrightey then… O.o

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Eleven : Not So Icy

Sesshoumaru had just walked out of the gates from talking to Mr. Filna about fencing, one of the few extra-curricular activities that actually interested him, only to find a couple making out against the stone wall surrounding the school.

He felt only slight irritation as he walked past, but it was until he was a fair distance away that he had realized that there was a peculiar way the boy had leant against the fragile girl…

… who had hair that came down to mid-back with two sections in ponies and the ends cut as though hacked at with a knife…

"Rin!" He whispered, eyes wide. He ran as fast as he could back to the school gate only to stop suddenly.

**Naraku.**

To what purpose had he come back? And he looked as though he were leaning in for a kiss… with Rin?

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and his slight shift in body language was enough to have Naraku turn his head.

"Yes?" Naraku asked lowly, a hint of a threat in his voice. "Is there something wrong?"

"Besides the fact you are posing a threat to a student at Port Street?" Sesshoumaru answered. In reply, Naraku's posture stiffened and he moved away from Rin, taking one of her hands in his and he kissed it softly.

"Thank you, Rin" he said, just as softly, "I look forward to seeing you again"

His eyes on hers, he began to walk backwards a few metres before turning around and walking away, smirking at Sesshoumaru as he did so.

Rin looked quite shocked and she turned her head towards him.

"I didn't mean to -" she started, before he cut her off coldly.

"Mean to what? Disturb the peace? Ruin your good-girl reputation? Make me regret ever knowing you?" At the last rhetorical question she paled even further so than she already had. Rin opened her mouth to defend herself, but Sesshoumaru had already begun walking home, disappointed he had turned down the offer of his chauffeur to pick him up.

Sesshoumaru refrained himself from clenching his fists, refrained himself from letting the girl see how much she really got to him.

Her. Rin. She had no idea how disappointed he was in her.

He had thought her different from other girls. Stronger, better, smarter and… worth something.

And yet, at one look, lean and almost-kiss from Naraku, she had lost herself.

She had gone weak. And Sesshoumaru was more disappointed than he had ever been. The one time he had expected something, and it had failed him. Rin… had failed _him_.

And so Sesshoumaru continued on his home to the estate, against the cold, bitter winds. Distantly he heard a pitter patter behind him but he ignored it. But the one thing he could not ignore were her thin fingers grasping his hand.

"Please," she whispered, "I'm scared"

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Do you know the feeling where you'd do anything not to lose what you care for most? But at the same time your brain is so numb for shock, that you can't think of anything that you can offer? And as a result you're susceptible to so many suggestions?_

_Desperation can cause us to do so many things and sometimes I wonder… how far would I go for the people I loved._

_

* * *

_

As my mouth sputtered, desperately hoping for some orders from The Brain, I watched Sesshoumaru's back fade.

It gripped me. Fear. I licked my dry lips, my mind not grasping that if I didn't _do_ something to attract Sesshoumaru's attention that the teetering line of friendship between us would soon become a non-existent teetering line of friendship.

Images came to me - cold looks from the other side of the classroom, indifference…

In a heavy panic I quickly paced after Sesshoumaru, clenching and unclenching my hand, willing myself to reach out and place mine in his. I chickened out at the last minute and stopped, watching as his back receded again.

Cold looks… indifference…

With a sudden burst of determination I lunged and tugged at his hand.

"Please," I whispered, "I'm scared"

Something flickered in his eyes and for a few strained moments he and I stared at each other, oblivious to the cold.

"Come," he said gruffly, "I'll walk you home"

A smile lighted up my face and I felt such an overwhelming sense of relief that I laughed shortly and held onto his hand even longer. As we passed his house I began to feel slightly confused and I shyly asked him why he didn't go into his own home, that I would be Ok for the rest of the way (even though we both knew that I would probably run home in several pieces after he left me alone).

"I told you I would walk you home and there's no point in saying that just to leave you alone after reaching my own house, nor would that be so gentlemanly. And I think we both know leaving you alone for the next while may be dangerous, considering what just happened" Inwardly I sighed, glad he would walk me home. I walked quietly by his side all the way home, slightly behind him, quickly glancing at his face, devoid of any expression. I realized with a sharp pang of sadness that I had never seen even a small smile on his face. Resolutely, I promised myself to make him smile at least once before I died.

Quite morbid, I know.

Something in my mind kept niggling at my conscious thoughts, something about a smile and I frowned in thought until it finally came to me.

It's funny how the mind can forget things that happened only fifteen before, but that was what happened to me. I had forgotten the amazingly cold voice in which Sesshoumaru had spoken to me - no, _spat_ at me and I knew that I had deserved everything he verbally threw at me, ever.

And it had all happened because of Naraku.

God, what had I been _thinking_?

Not only had I considered getting kissed by Naraku, I had actually _wanted_ to be kissed by Naraku. Why, though? I didn't know but there was just something that made me want to… right in that moment.

I felt a sharp but dull thud against my hairline and I looked up at Sesshoumaru before noticing that I had made it all the way to my front door without noticing, hence him flicking me. I fumbled for my key and slotted it into the keyhole before having the door open and I walked in slowly, my eyes on the ground. I turned around, hiding behind the door and I shyly looked up to thank Sesshoumaru for walking me home.

I was surprised to be facing only his chin. I took a step back and looked up at him.

"Why? Why didn't you resist him? Why were you going accept him touching you?" I was aware that he used the word 'touching' rather than 'kissing' and I wondered why the latter seemed to offend him so much. I blinked a few times in confusion at why he would even care and as my vision cleared, what I saw in his eyes shocked me.

Despair and wretchedness.

Although hardly noticeable, I noticed the slight crinkle at the corner of his left eye (or was it his right?) and I sensed the slight desperation in his voice in which he asked his questions. I parted my lips slightly, preparing to say 'I don't know' but instead I popped out something rather mushy and hormonally depressing.

"Because no-one has _ever_ looked at me that way."

Both our eyes widened in surprise and I quickly hastened on to explain my out-of-the-blue whisper. "I mean, at school, it's like, as if I'm just the _nice girl, _just someone to befriend and moan to, but not to actually _care_ for. I'm stuck here with this stupid personality of mine, that is more like a defect, and I'm scared that maybe I'll be forever envying everyone else…" I drifted off and I felt an unacquainted blush freely flow over my cheeks. I bent my head and all of a sudden, I felt like just curling up on the floor and covering my eyes with hands. Be alone.

Just alone.

I didn't respond as he tilted my chin up. But I shivered and blinked as he leaned past me and whispered into my ears "And you think I don't feel the same way?"

My eyes widened and I stared back at him before he swiftly turned around, closing the door behind him as he left me alone in my home. I sank to my knees and leant my forehead against the wood of the door, before filling the house with the sound of my dry sobs and heavy breathing.

I eventually slid from my position against the door, onto the soft, new carpet, so exhausted I had fallen asleep.

And that was how my father had found me.

* * *

A/N: wipes sweat off forehead WOW! I usually end up finishing the majority of these chapters really late in like one hour, for some strange psychological reason. Next chapter I promise to be more… um… of a positive Rin/Sess writer? With lots of POSITIVE interaction? Beware, I'm being drowned in all these tests and assignments again, so it may not come out for a WHILE (whichever-deity-is-'up-there' forbid!). But hey, next chapter is a MUCH lighter chapter, therefore easier to type up, so it may come out sooner than expected! Anyways, I'm sure you all want to just review now, and I'm not one to complain about THAT! 

**I noticed a lot of "Ewww, Naraku! Ewww! Scary Bad Man! ALERT! Scary Bad Man in the vicinity!", so in reply to THOSE reviews, yeah I know it's weird and icky, but I think of Naraku as a somewhat alone yet devious, cunning and evil man (and you just GOTTA love the evil man thing), not sleazy and… um… weird. Although those 'corrupted' thoughts of Kikyo do worry me. I hope that you are all happy that he has not stolen Rin's first kiss (but will he? Future chapter teaser!) and that you won't all stop reading and reviewing because Sesshoumaru didn't bash the crap out of him. But come on, from the anime, Sesshoumaru comes across to me as a bit of a lazy bum, I mean, he only fights when he has to, he didn't bother to learn to master the Tenseiga, and he is so lazy, he can't even put on some facial expression. _Honestly! Do you expect him to fight Naraku just because he almost kissed a willing girl that he has almost no attachment too!_**

**KitKat07: **I'm really glad to hear that! I mean, just to know that a lot of people take the time and effort to review really does gratify me and on your advice, I'm trying really hard to appreciate my own story, but I guess I'm just trying to improve my style as I go along considering this is my first that is from the first person that is so long! About the jumping up and down thing, I tried to make this story as real as possible and we all know how everyone has their really shitty and/or childish days. I'm following your stories pretty closely and you _definitely_ form the characters well, especially Rin and her modesty with their money.

**Chandra16: **Yeah, I guess after reading all these stories where Rin is a nerd and has THE most popular guy in school fall in love with her (and turn into a sappy kinda guy) then die and Sesshoumaru is forever lonely does get slightly yawn-worthy after the third story, so I try my best to make Rin as original as I can without digressing from her younger character in the anime.

**CometsChaos: **Really? Confusing? Hmm… lemme think… I guess it was just a chapter explaining how Rin was getting back to normal, only to get thrown off by Naraku… O.O I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Naraku Fan: **gasps _another_ Naraku fan? tears up I thought I was the only one! Skipping the diary entries? Tsk tsk tsk… but I can sympathise with you there, it's only really just a minor teaser to the story, but I hope you read today's entry! Hehehe…

**C'fay: "**P in Ti?"? Care to explain? Yeah, well isn't that what a good author does? Keep you in the lurch? XD

**Dolphin-Slam:** Well why wouldn't you be in the thank-you list? The reviewers are half the reason why I continue to update this fic so regularly and faithfully! And an added plus is that you regularly review!

**Niichan626: **O.O At first I thought you were flaming me and I was about to cry but then I read the rest of your review was like "Phew!" hehehe!

**Sesshoumaru's Fluff Is Mine: **I had a nice quiet chuckle at your nickname - it says it all, that it does! Yay! You really like? gushes awww shucks… I guess you were an insomniac for about three weeks then, eh?

**Anuri-chan: ** It's always great to see someone complimenting me about my shocking "Jakken Revelation", as it's so affectionately called, as well as my writing style and humour, I'm glad you enjoy it so much!

**Chibi-yumi: **You know what? We should check if there are any Rin/Naraku stories… Yeah, I came up with that little twist right at the last moment as I realised that in all the Rin/Sess stories I've ever read, Naraku was a compulsive stalker, sleaze and weirdo. What can I say? I decided to be a rebel!

**Trinity: **I always enjoy replying to your reviews, they're always so long and in depth, it's so hard for me to know where to start. Well, I guess I get the same thrill that you get when I reply to your reviews as when you review me. Yours is always the one I look forward to most. About your nickname, yeah, I still get confused but it's pretty funny and I always smile when I remember that 16 children in the world have been name 'Zion' (or is it 'Xion'?). Does that mean your first name is Trin? And it's always cool to have my reviewers tell me something about themselves. Surprises are always good, and I found it so cool to write the Jakken/Ms. Kentlyn bit. I hope you were satisfied with this chapters ending. Originally I was going to have Sesshoumaru shove orange down her throat but then I got carried away and decided to just use a simple cookie. Jumping on the bed is always a good thing to get your emotions in check, so I decided to put that in for Rin's benefit, although unfortunately I didn't have Sesshoumaru kick Naraku's ass for Naraku's own benefit. I figured if Sesshoumaru DID bash him up, it wouls seem somewhat possessive and somewhat dangerously unstable (more so than he already is). Also, it's getting alte on my side of the planet, so I better stop and go to bed, then post this tomorrow.

I'm handing out Baskets of Love to:

**Lynn-Minmay**

**Angel Trainee Flonne**

**Lucy Loo**

**IceSugarHigh**

**Mewchild (love the stick throwing!)**

**Chel Bel**

**Next Chapter: **OK, I realise I didn't have anyone say "Sesshoumaru! You're my hero!" and I apologise for that… I was gonna have Rin say it to him after he saved her but I think I wanted a 'Sesshoumaru isn't as icy as we think…' thing going around through your heads. SO tomorrow! We will have SHOPPING! We will have CHEESY LOVE SCENARIOS READ OUT! We will have DANCING! Until then, have a happy life!

**Outtake #1**

"Rin?" My dad came up in a panic, probably scared I had ripped one of my stitches open. Upon seeing the room in disarray and my mouth in a sulky like, he sighed and walked over wearily (and warily) to my bed. "Rin, what is it this time?"

"I don't wanna go to school" I had a strange sense of déjà vu from the third grade but I quickly shook the feeling as my dad gasped.

"Oh no, you mean it's not _Saturday_ today!"

**Outtake #2**

"Rin! Are you alright?" my dad asked in a panic. If I had not been so busy rubbing blood back into my posterior I would have rolled my eyes so instead I glared at him reproachfully.

"Well maybe you should have thought of that BEFORE you injured my nice, pert butt! I hope you know you're paying for my butt-lift when I turn 30!"

**Outtake #3**

Sesshoumaru had just walked out of the gates from talking to Mr. Filna about fencing, one of the few extra-curricular activities that actually interested him. And why wouldn't it? It was sexy, it was refined (without being to girly) and those pants really did show off his thighs!

Hehehe… you know what's so funny? The review bit takes up almost half the chapter… hehehe… if you want YOU want YOUR name on that list, then review! If you want more plot that review, than review ALSO!


	12. Shopping, Dining and Dancing

Disclaimer: la la la… I don't own Inuyasha… la la la… you get the drift :)

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

- Chapter Twelve : Shopping, Dining and Dancing

Mr. Tsuyame wearily pushed open the door but surprisingly… he met resistance. Sparing no brain power to think he leaned all his weight onto the offending block, willing it to move. His eyes abruptly widened as he heard a moan.

Was The Blob in his home right now? Was there some mass-murderer who moaned roaming the streets lately? Was there some kind of Law Fiend prowling around, wishing to destroy the Constitution?

**No!** The law need to be protected and preserved! No Law Fiend would be alive while he, the Man of the Tsuyame House, was around! With a sudden and stupid spurt of bravery, Mr. Tsuyame stood straight, proud and tall, before pushing the door open very, _very_ hard.

As you can see, Mr. Tsuyame was drunk on weariness and devotion… to the law books of Australia.

The moan sounded again, and as quick as- as quick as it takes a cake to be devoured, Mr. Tsuyame threw his suitcase at the Law Fiend…

… who just happened to be his daughter.

**Oh_ dear_.**

**

* * *

**

_Dear Diary,_

_I have never ever been beaten or spanked by my father._

_I HAVE however, been scalded (accidentally in the bath when I was six), been scalded again (dinner), burnt (hot dinner), burnt _again_ (hot tea) and occasionally a dull push into a table or into a wall. Once I even accidentally fell down the stairs because my dad rushed passed me too quickly and threw me off balance._

_But the ONE incident that TOTALLY leaves the others behind is when my FATHER - **my father of all people! -** decided to swing a SUITCASE at my head!_

_

* * *

_

What a way to wake up.

Getting slammed in the head with a big rectangular prism covered in cow hide.

Absolutely fabulous.

I told this to my father nonchalantly, just to rub in the shame. I re-adjusted the icepack on my jaw and grated my teeth to numb the pain.

"I said I was sorry…" my dad mumbled reproachfully. "It wasn't my fault you decided to sleep right behind the door!"

"And was it my fault you decided to have paranoid delusions about the _Law Fiend_?" I sneered. Well as good as sneering could get while I was currently smothered in ice and the attacker still happened to be holding the offending suitcase.

"How'd you know about the Law Fiend!" my dad demanded, aghast.

"**_You_** talk aloud when you're being all brave and cool," I pointed out.

"There's nothing cool about having a Law Fiend in your home," my dad said crossly.

"There was nothing fiendish about me!" I protested indignantly. "I was just lying around, sleeping, when all of a sudden someone decided to disturb the peace! With a freaking **suitcase**!"

"Well what was I to think? I try to open the door and all I can hear is this groaning!"

"You could've thought that I had just possibly fallen asleep and call for pizza after you carried me up to bed"

"Or maybe you should've thought before you decided to sleep right there"

"Dad, you keep bringing out the same words! People can faint; people can trip over and fall unconscious! That's something that _does_ happen!" I was getting seriously heated up over this situation. "What doesn't happen is some disturbed lawyer pretending that the world is at risk as long as the _Law Fiend_ prowls the night!"

"You can skip the next two days off school" my dad said shortly.

"You were right all along dad, maybe I should've slept elsewhere" I quickly said, pride losing the fight against such a deal.

How could anyone choose to miss a four-day weekend?

So here I was, spending my Saturday at my dad's office, waiting for death.

OK, it's not like as if some maniacal killer was gonna jump out from the filing cabinet and beat me to death with a Mr. Smith's law file, but still, I was dieing.

Of boredom, to be exact. Is it _actually_ physically possible to die of boredom? I mean, could the passing of slow time actually be enough to corrode the epithelial that make up our most effective shield against the harsh outer world? Or could the emotion (or lack thereof) slowly eat away at our brain cells, eventually leaving us as nothing but… very bored, very brain-dead people?

Oh, the horror of it all!

… Just kidding. So anyways, like I said, there I was, just sitting there. Staring into space.

… And more staring.

Do you ever get the feeling you've been made redundant? Like as if all of a sudden you finally realized how small you were in this world and then the fact that you may not be anything important hits you so hard in the chest that-

Ok, umm… I think I'll shut up now. After all, I have better things to worry about than my contribution to global warming. Like dieing of boredom… err, I mean, the Sesshoumaru and Naraku situation.

I sighed and swung around on my chair as, once again, I replayed the hour after school on Wednesday. I had avoided thinking it about it for the whole day, cautious not to let my father worry even more than he had so far. Sure, he had let me off school the last two days to let the bruise die down to a sickly yellow (easily covered by my shaggy excuse of a fringe), he had still left me in the care Ms. Kentlyn.

And the look they shared before he walked out the door was enough to tell me that I wasn't exactly being discreet about my current social situation. In fact, if anything, I might as well have connected a big neon light to my forehead and walked around with it blinking "Give me my medication".

Well, OK, maybe not, but still, it was obvious that I was acting a little strange lately. I mean, falling out of trees, coming home late at night with a fever and severe scrapes on my back and sleeping behind doors wasn't exactly normal teenage behavior. Or even odd teenage behavior. It was downright weird.

And it wasn't just worrying my father, it was worrying me too. I frowned violently as chided myself for wondering if the Ice Prince worried about me.

Of course he wouldn't worry about me, Rin. If anything, he should fear me.

Somehow that didn't sound so convincing, even in my own head. I sighed again and once again, his words reverberated within my skull.

_"And you think I don't feel the same way?"_

Same way about what, I pondered. He wasn't exactly a nice girl, or even a girl. He had no lack of company, and it was hard to think that maybe Sesshoumaru was scared of anything, let alone _being_ alone and envying _someone else_!

And Naraku! He-who-was-once-deemed-sex-god-of-Year-Eleven had come onto me!

Very disturbing considering he had killed the last girl he had come onto.

I rubbed my temples and mentally shook myself. It was nothing to worry about. He was a teenager; he had a right to let his hormones get the better of him.

Yet what he said about Kikyo and myself slightly weirded me out. But it didn't mean he was going to kill me too, right? I mean, that was the stuff that happened in overrated romancey-drama novels, not real-life.

And then the memory of Sesshoumaru helping me out of the situation came to me.

It wasn't like he had to, but still, he had. In fact, I had even heard him running back after disregarding us when he walked past. SO why _had_ he come back?

So there I was, previously bored, previously worried and now puzzled, when who should walk through the office door but an Izuki.

The elder Izuki to be exact. My dad strode out of his office at that moment, coffee mug in hand.

"Rin, I told you I liked two sugars! And I _know_ I told you that I liked to stir my _own_ coffee?" At that moment my dad noticed Inutaisho Izuki - _**The** Inutaisho Izuki! -_ and set down his mug then familiarly clapped the white haired mans hands in his own and shook them. Mr. Izuki smiled genially and chuckled.

"Like to stir your own coffee, Tsuyame? Just like I hope you like to _personally_ handle my file?"

"Of course" my father answered, before taking a thick pale yellow folder that I had noticed was clamped between his side and his arm and handing it to Mr. Izuki. The taller man (that is, Mr. Izuki) flicked through it, his brow furrowed in light thought, before patting my dad on his back in a mateship-ly way.

"Good job, as always, Tsuyame! I trust that all the investors and stockholders have all been notified? And that all my affiliates have been faxed the files and the invitations?"

"Yes, yes" dad answered. I had no idea what was going on, but in that moment I recognized the signs of fatigue in my dads eyes and his roughly done up tie. Obviously this… deal that they were talking about had been a real strain on my father for at least a few weeks. A sudden rush of guilt overcame me. For the past two weeks I had been totally self-involved, not noticing anyone else's troubles but my own. My thoughts raced towards my friends - how were they feeling? I had been absent from school a lot lately, and I worried that already I was drifting away from them.

And from myself.

Once again, anger washed over me in violent waves. I hated myself so much! What was happening to me? I was beginning to label people (examples being the Ice Prince and the less intellectually inclined group), I was ignorant, and what was worse? I think I was beginning to fall behind on homework!

The last thought broke something within me and I struggled to restrain my tears and laughter. At least I had gotten that part of my life in order. And everything else was…

Well, I had figured out the problem for the second time that week, each time shocking me just as hard. I resolved to make it up to everyone - be nicer, less ignorant, less assuming and more caring.

With that done with, I immediately moved to the phone when-

"Err, Rin? Where you off to?" came my dad's voice and I closed my eyes sharply.

So much for being less ignorant, I had totally forgotten where I was! I laughed nervously.

"Err… I was just on my way to um… alphabetize your files…" Alphabetize files? Geez, Rin-poo, that's _real_ great! My dad looked at me oddly.

"Um… Inutaisho, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Rin" I smiled charmingly at Inutaisho and politely bobbed my head.

"Pleased to meet you, sir" I chimed. My dad rolled his eyes at my perkiness and spoke.

"And Rin, this is Mr. Inutaisho Izuki, a _very_ important client" my dad slightly stressed 'important' as well and I immediately took the hint.

"Always a pleasure" he said kindly and I immediately took a liking to him. I walked over to shake his proffered hand and opened my mouth to charm the pants off him when…

… well, you know, it's like I _actually_ wanna see Inutaisho without his pants. 'Cause I don't. Really. Even though it's obvious where Sesshoumaru got his good looks from…

ANYWAYS, I WILL STOP THIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT **NOW** BECAUSE IT IS GROSSING ME OUT.

So yes, like I was saying, just as I had reached out my hand to shake Inutaisho's one, when all of a sudden a breathy, low voice entered.

"Father, Inuyasha is getting impatient" I swung around, still tingling from the sensation of his breathe tickling my baby hairs and was shocked to see his chin only a few centimetres away. I stepped back too quickly and stumbled backwards. I felt my two ponies whipping past my ears and my eyes widened before closing as my hand reached out… I slipped closer towards the ground…

… before someone grasped my forearm and fluidly pulled me back up, a hand sliding about my waist in doing so. I pried open one eye and then closed them again.

"Sesshoumaru, please let me go" I muttered, a slow blush spreading over my cheeks.

"You said it, not me," he whispered back and his arms slipped from around me. Immediately I fell back and I grabbed onto Sesshoumaru instinctively. I glared at him and he smirked back at me in a 'Look who's come back' kind of way. I balanced myself properly before stepping back from the circle of his arms. I turned towards my dad to tell him I was going, only to see that he was refraining from laughing. And that Inutaisho was waggling his eyebrows at Sesshoumaru.

**_Waggling! _**Oh the shame!

"I'll wait in the car" we both grated out simultaneously. We both glared at each other and I was aware that both his father and my father were putting their heads together and nudging each other and _laughing with their eyes!_ And then to make matters worse, we both turned around at the same time to walk out of the office! What was happening! This time the older men (who were like little rascally three-year-olds that I'd like to- ) burst out laughing. I grated my teeth and clenched my fists. I opened my mouth to speak my mind when-

"Come on, Sesshoumaru, we might as well take Inuyasha home…" chuckled Inutaisho. "We wouldn't want to play the part of Knight in Shining Armour while your little brother is waiting…"

Knight in Shining Armour! Just when exactly did he-

OK, then, I admit it. He saved me from falling and he saved me…

… from Naraku.

"Little _half_ brother" Sesshoumaru corrected, a slight frown marring his features.

"Yes, of course, of course…" Inutaisho hastily said, and together they walked through the office door. I hmph'ed, moved towards a chair and sat down with a heavy thud. I glared at my father before pointedly ignoring him.

"Oh _look, _Rin, Mr. Izuki and I didn't _mean_ anything by it! It's just… to see your two kids getting all flustered around each other and then ignoring each other when it's obvious that they- "

"**Don't** say it, dad!" Abruptly my dad shut his mouth and a sudden curiosity came over me. I tried to resist asking the question that was currently attacking me with sharp little knives, but to no avail.

"Dad!" I blurted out, and my dad, who had been sipping his coffee, chocked on his coffee and I have a sneaking suspicion it went up his nose too. "What did you mean by… _both_ of us being flustered?"

Immediately my dad's face lightened up and a wicked grin replaced choking.

"Well, my dear Rin, you see-" my dad began with a flourish.

"Dad, shove it. I want an answer not your life story" I cut in curtly. My dad shot me a reproachful glare and began again.

"Well, it's just that Sesshoumaru seemed to lean in _awfully_ close to you and then you seemed to shiver and actually _enjoy_ it, and then you fell and he caught you and then you two stared into each others eyes for a second _too_ long and then when he let go of you - quite reluctantly, I _must _add - then you blushed-"

"It was a **flush**, thank you very much" I interrupted loudly. My dad waved his hand about dismissively.

"Whatever, the point is, when you looked away, Sesshoumaru stared at you a bit longer before turning away before glaring at _his_ father. But _really_, the most important bit I forgot to tell you was that…" my dad paused to keep true to suspense before I hissed at him to continue. "My dear, Rin, you can't tell me you didn't notice the way he kept sneaking looks at you from the moment he walked through the door?"

My mouth dropped open and my dad folded his arms in a sign of appreciation at my shock. He reclined back in his chair, and to my gratification…

… he abruptly toppled over.

* * *

_"'Oh, dear! I was such a fool all along! Can you ever forgive me, Bruce?" Lily cried, ashamed at her show of infidelity at the Circus with the evil leather-wearing clown, Krusty._

_"Say no more, my love!" Bruce whispered back, huskily, gathering an extremely willing and voluptuous Lily into his extremely muscly arms. "Just kiss me, **KISS ME!**'"_

Before Pristine and myself could realise anything, Theresa had yanked the book from my grasp and hidden it behind her.

"Aww…" I pouted with Pristine, "We were just getting to the really **_juicy_** part!"

Theresa glared at us in reply and took the book - creatively named _Love Abounds - Love is Everywhere! - _and opened it to the page we were up to.

"'Why_ are you so eager, my love Luce?' " _Theresa began, extravagantly and Pristine and I glanced at each before surrendering ourselves to gales of insane, _very_ insane laughter, "'asked_ Lily. 'Bruce,' Bruce corrected gently, before hefting Lily over his shoulder. 'I am feeling particularly randy as of now, so please, just shut up and let me ravish you!'"_

"Um…" Pristine quietly interrupted, "Theresa?"

"Yes?" Theresa asked politely, still grinning. I followed Pristine's line of vision to outside the changing room itself and saw three guys and their mothers staring in at Theresa, who unfortunately was only half-wearing the dress she had been trying on, and even _more_ unfortunately so, hadn't noticed yet.

"You might want to look in the mirror, Theresa" I told her quietly. She looked to her right, towards the mirrors, and gasped before running back into her stall. "You could have at least dropped the book, Theresa!" I called to her stall. She growled in response and I grinned at Pristine.

"What are you doing with such a… lively book like that anyways?" Pristine asked.

"Lively? It's more than just _lively_!" I told Pristine quietly. She waved at me to be quiet as Theresa spoke up.

"And what are you doing looking through my bag?" Theresa shot back.

"I don't have anything to pay for my dress with" I told her sweetly.

"Liar!" she yelled.

Right. I suppose you're wondering where the hell we are, what the hell we're doing, and why the hell we're doing it.

Well, see, after my father had spectacularly and successful managed to create a domino affect within his office, he had handed me his credit card as I rolled around the floor laughing.

**Me:** What's this for?

**Dad:** Just a dress and some shoes and whatever else. Formal wear. Just shut up and do all that womanly exercise that all females love.

**Me:** What for?

**Dad:** If I let you buy that damn Joybee (1 - Wow, first note in ages! Anyways, a Joybee is this new range of MP3 players that I am ABSOLUTELY desperate to get my hands on drool) will you just buy the damn dress and never mention what just happened?

**Me:** (note: My presence in the room had been non-existed upon hearing the word "Joybee")

So yes, here I was, three weeks later, going shopping with Theresa and Pristine, who coincidentally, had also been given some cash to buy some formal wear. But please note that they had been given _cash_ which meant they couldn't just buy any expensive thing, they had to actually find a 'reasonably priced' dress (at which Theresa fervently explained to me that there was NO decent dress that was at a 'reasonable price') that fitted them, looked good on them and matched various made-up faces and accessories.

Of course, when I asked them what the occasion was, they merely answered "Nothing big" and when I had told them about my dads offer about the Joybee and for me not to ask what the reason for the dress was, they shared a meaningful look and Pristine muttered, "I don't blame him"

I pondered this. I mean, my birthday had passed and getting full marks on a test didn't even call for much attention anymore, let alone formal wear. I decided to let it be and let my friends drag me from shop to shop…

… to shop to shop…

… and to shop…

… and oh why, benevolent deities of the skies! Why must you punish me? What have I done to deserve all this shopping?

It was Saturday and I had been nice enough to wake up at nine o'clock (see that? _Nine o'clock!_) just for my friends so that I could accompany them on their shopping spree with a promise of frequent snack breaks in between.

It had three hours now and not a snack break in sight. An ice cream stall here, a café there, but to my consternation, we just kept walking. I sighed for the umpteenth time while staring and Pristine roughly turned my face to the current shop that we were in front of. They both pushed me inside and forcefully plonked me onto a chair.

I slumped dejectedly and watched disinterestedly as Pristine and Theresa sifted through a rack of dresses, talked to the manager of the store, pointed at me, and then darkly muttered to each other in the corner with a manic gleam in their eyes that made me pray for an escape.

Any escape. The clothes rack catching on fire, the shop (not to mention the rest of Sydney; the place we were shopping) pulverizing into a billion specks of microbes, me getting struck by lightning… and the list went on.

Theresa came towards me with a predatory look and before I could run - _run for my life!_ - she backed me, and the chair I was sitting on, back against the wall.

After what seemed like five minutes of playing the staring game, she stepped back and magically pulled a red dress out of nowhere.

"NO" I said, finality in my voice. Theresa whined and I repeated myself. "You're wearing red too remember?" I reminded her.

She gasped. "You're right! Thanks so much, Rin! Imagine if we actually showed up wearing _the same color!_" she whispered, scandalized.

"I know," I drawled back wearily. I had gotten away from wearing some dramatic color yet again, but there were only so many excuses I could come up with to match each color. I sat there in a state of suspended boredom, hunger and fear (yes, _fear_), before Pristine, Theresa and the manager came in, each carrying a large multicolored pile of fabric. Realizing that they were all different shades and designs of dresses I stood up, tripping over the manager, the pile of clothes toppling onto her.

I was tired, hungry, bored and **not** a very happy Rin. I ran to a random rack of clothes and stood next to it, staring back at Pristine, Theresa and the manager. I am sure that I had adopted a manic gleam all of my own.

"_Look,_" I started, "I've gone _three_ hours without any drink or snack and-"

"Of course you went that long without eating! You'd never fit into _anything_ if you ate!" the manager interrupted.

I made a funny, repetitive sound and put up one my hands to shut her up. I motioned to the rack.

"Since I've had the worst of luck for the past _week,_ I figure that the Law of Averages will finally come into my favor, and finally bring me some good fortune. I am going to randomly pick a dress, and _if_ I like it, I will try it on and tell you the adjustments I want to make to it. If it doesn't feel good I will once again," and the occupants of the changing room held it's breathe, "randomly pick another dress. This will continue until I find a dress that fits me well and feels _just_ right. Now, if _any_ of you make a peep or a move towards a rack, I will buy that dress and wear it on the night"

I pointed to a dress in the '50's and over' section, a garbage green one that had puffy shoulders. The manager choked on a sob and muttered something which I could only make out as "God forbid it… please…"

Satisfied, I reached out my arm, shuffled blindly through the dresses and picked out a light-weighted dress. Not even glancing at it, I strode into the changing stall, closed my eyes and took a good ten minutes to somehow slip off my clothes and slip on the dress. I strode out of the stall - secretly glad that I hadn't heard the thud of anyone fainting - and spun around, not letting my eyes open to see the mirrors.

"Feels good enough," I said, trying to fill the silence.

"Looks good too," Theresa said ponderously, as though wondering what I was doing not paying for it yet.

"No, no, no!" the manager's voice rang out. "I have an even better variation of this dress… a new arrival…" she drifted off and I heard a few distant shuffles, several random clinks of clothes-hanger against clothes-hanger and finally a few shuffles back into the room. A pause in the room and I nearly threw myself into some random area just to break the stillness.

"Don't look, Rinz" Pristine warned lowly. "She's just trying to buy a more… unsuitable and more expensive dress because the one you're wearing was on the 'last seasons' rack, and so is therefore on sale"

I looked down and gasped at the abomination that was currently being held up by the manager.

A short, _shiny_, tight, low-cut, horrible golden dress. That looked like it belonged to… to… that looked like it belonged in a torture chamber!

First let me point out why I didn't like the dress.

**1. **It was short. Like the kind of short you wear when you're incredibly desperate and on the rebound or just incredibly old.

**2. **It was shiny. I don't _do _shiny.

**3. **Tight. I want to breathe. I want to eat. Please.

**4. **Low-cut. Like as if I actually am of age to wear something like that. That and my dad will probably return my much-prized Joybee.

That done and said, I totally ignored the manager and strode back into the stall, closing my eyes as I slipped off the dress and I pried open the door and thrust the dress outside. I felt someone take it from my hands and I opened my eyes and dressed freely.

I walked outside and took my father's credit card from my pocket with some trepidation, wondering what disaster I had bought. At that moment I regretted closing my eyes while changing to avoid having to look at what I had just chosen. My mouth dropped open as I realized that the dress was already in a bag, the top taped together.

"You just have to pay for it now!" Theresa chirped, obviously pleased I had finally chosen my dress.

"Mmhmm," Pristine agreed, "we had it taped so it would be a surprise for you when you got home!"

"You mean you taped it so that when I saw it there would be no two best friends for me to _murder_" I corrected her sternly.

I got no answer because Pristine and Theresa had taken both my hands and skipped me out the door.

"Now for some _shoes!_" Theresa squealed, and I immediately started cursing the Gods above.

* * *

Secretly, I was glad.

I was glad I looked good in this dress. I mean, I wasn't the kind of person who liked going to some high-class society dinner looking like I just had a snack in a bin. I _was, _however, the kind of person who liked showing up at some high-class society dinner looking pretty nondescript.

And tonight I looked like neither because tonight I looked **_nice._** As in **_really _**nice. And I don't mean beautiful-drop-dead-gorgeous-ha!-I-look-better-than-you-any-day-Kagura! but hey-Rin-I-noticed-that-you-aren't-just-wearing-some-kids-dress kind of nice.

I don't usually go on about my clothes like Theresa, I'm just one to throw together something 'normal' looking, but I had to admit that for a random pick, the dress was rather nice. I found that I had been pleasantly surprised when I had open the bag early this afternoon to get ready for whatever the occasion was, a week after buying it.

It was a simple golden-brown dress, the hem whispering against the top of my calves and a sensible v-cut neck with two spaghetti straps. It was rather loose, without actually looking too loose and I breathed a sigh of relief. I slipped on the pair of black ballet-slipper style shoes, thankful Theresa had taken into account I wasn't really going through the 'high-heeled stilettos' phase yet. I clasped on a simple white gold wrist chain my father had bought me a year back and swept my hair back into a loose and messy bun, letting a few thin ropes of hair dangle down from the top. I put on some mascara and lip balm to get appease Theresa's need for me to 'look like the cute sex-goddess you are', as she says.

Which really does disturb me.

I quickly put the thought out of my mind and as I walked downstairs I wondered where my dad was taking me. I took my woolly black shawl from my father's arms and draped it over my shoulders absent-mindedly and let him guide me to the car.

I was shocked when my father blind-folded me.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"For your own personal safety" he muttered lowly and I felt more than slightly apprehensive. I mean, wouldn't you if everyone around you was avoiding the subject of some dinner party or whatever then blindfolded you? I felt like I was about get pushed over a cliff or something and that the clothes was just to give me the last chance to feel all prettied-up.

God, I'm morbid.

I huffed and pulled out the bottom half of my dress from out under my legs to avoid creasing it before folding my arms across my chest and mentally readying myself for whatever that was about to come.

I heard my dad's voice talking into what I guessed was an intercom because he kept saying stuff like "My name is Shigure Tsuyame… my name is Shigure Tsuyame… it's on the list…" (2 - I named Rin's adoptive father after Shigure from Fruits Basket because somehow, just as I was typing this bit out, it popped into my head that Rin's dad is similar to Shigure somehow… and have you noticed 'Tsuyame' sounds like 'Ayame'? ARGH! Now all I need is a Hatori!) I felt that car slowly move into what seemed like a very winding road and in my frustration I tore off the blindfold…

… only to be faced with the Izuki Manor. Instead of wasting my breathe on yelling at my dad I reached for the door handle. My dad braked suddenly and I was forced to use my hands to steady myself against the dashboard.

"Rin, I know you're angry, but please, for the sake of my career, can you please bare with it, for just at least an hour?" I ignored him but reclined back into the seat of his BMW. A few cars were in front of us, each successively being driven off by a valet parker when he spoke to me again, softly.

"Rin… a few weeks ago on that night, after you had fallen from a tree or whatever, you told me you would tell me if anything was wrong. Are you alright with this? Last I remember of this place, that Sesshoumaru kid handed me your shirt, all torn up and bloodied. If something horrible really did happen here, we'll have a talk and I won't force you to go in"

I looked up, about to lie to him and say that Sesshoumaru had attacked me, when I saw his face. I knew how much this case really meant to him. If, in a few months time, the results of his work finally pulled off, he would exclusively work for Mr. Izuki and we would be incredibly well-off. Even more so than we already were. I swallowed my lie and my face softened into a small smile.

"I'm just too stubborn, daddy. I'm sorry, let's just go in and see how incredibly wealthy people live, OK? And if we're lucky we might be able to swipe a valuable thing or two, huh?" my dad grinned back enthusiastically at me in reply and drove up to waiting valet parker. He got out of the car, said a few small things while handing his car keys over before coming to my side of the car and opening the door. I stepped out gracefully and stood up straight. My father offered me his arm and I slid my arm through the crook of his elbow before smiling and moving towards the open doors.

"Good evening Madam, Sir," an oily voice reached us. There was a tall reception desk and I looked at it, confused. I would have sworn that the voice had come from this place…

"And a good evening to you too, Jakken," my father greeted back.

"Yes… good evening…" I muttered. I looked at my father before leaning over the desk. I gasped as I realised who it was that talking.

Ms. Kentlyn's good-for-nothing husband! I turned towards my father to tell him but from the warning glance he discreetly shot my way, I realized he had already known. I let my dad lead me to the main room and I asked him how he had known. He then answered that Ms. Kentlyn had told him when he had told her about the bitter-yet-devoted retainer to the Izuki family. I nodded, automatically thinking up devious scheme's to get Jakken and Ms. Kentlyn back together when I spotted Pristine and Theresa from across the room.

"I can't believe it! You two both knew that I was going to be forced come here and you didn't tell me?" I asked them. Although I was one to quickly get over things (no point wasting precious energy being spiteful) I was still angry.

"Well that's the whole point of the word 'forced', Rin. We didn't wanna make it harder for your dad and tell you, thereby turning 'forced' into something much more serious" Pristine told me levelly.

"That and we really wanted to see you dance with Sesshoumaru!" Theresa grinned at me. I huffed, my discomfort already abated and turned towards the tables.

"OK, then, where are we sitting? Not at the kiddies table I hope…" I mumbled.

"No, we have the honor of sitting at the _teenagers_ table" Theresa said sarcastically. We made our way over to the long table set up for the wealthy adolescent children of Sydney, stopping here and there to make polite chitchat with the wealthy elders of society.

"I hate being the heir to old money…" Pristine muttered.

"Don't you mean _ye auld_ money?" Theresa smiled, trying to cheer Pristine up.

"Either way, the only reason why my family is only ever invited here is because we have connections to very powerful people" she said angrily.

"And the only reason _my_ family is invited is because my grandfather was good friends with Mr. Inutaisho's father" Theresa said, also glumly.

I listened to them complain about their families and the reasons behind all their money before I decided to butt in.

"And how do you think _I_ feel?" I said quietly. They turned to look at me and I continued. "How do you think it felt for _me_ when my parents died? Murdered right in front of me? Do you know I still keep their clothes from that day? Still bloodied and torn? At least you still your families!" I whispered harshly, making sure to keep my voice at a normal volume. "And how do you think it felt, when all Year 7 found out I was adopted? That I had once come from the slums? Had once come from the depths of poverty itself? At least your name holds respect!" once I saw that their eyes held the right amount of shock and their blushes the shade of shame, I relented. "You don't need to feel sorry for me, but _please_, have a care for what you say. There are others that are far worse off than ourselves"

We walked to our table silently and found our nametags, which, luckily for us, were right next to each other.

"When are we eating? I'm starved!" I blurted out, realizing I hadn't ate since I had slid on my dress.

"Knowing these things, there's an hours worth of mingling starting from half an hour _after _the announced time of arrival, then there's half an hour of sitting at a table and delicately dabbing at the corner of our lips while we pretend to eat and drink, then the rest of the night is left up to the number of drunk people" Pristine said, taking a sip of her water, obviously preparing for a night of monotonous and pointless talk and formalities.

I sighed. "What's the point of being fashionably late anyways?"

"Maybe they slept in?" Theresa suggested.

"The invitation said to be here at six. How slept in can you get?" I retorted.

"Is 'how slept in can you get?' grammatically correct?" Pristine asked me snobbishly.

I snorted and took a look around. I noticed that Kagura Haruno had just walked through the door.

"Here comes Miss. Kagura-all-the-boys-love-me-I'm-so-popular-I-could-die-Haruno" I spat, but not loud enough so she could hear.

"Look at what she's wearing!" Theresa gasped. I looked her over and I had to grudgingly admit that she looked absolutely stunning in the burgundy number that she was wearing. Somehow, it managed to make every single other girl look somewhat dead and… dead? Great, it not only seemed to make us look dead, it made me think in a very… dead way as well.

I huffed and turned my focus towards the small plate in front of me, sending intense thoughts towards the large array of spoons and forks.

With my Jedi powers, I will transform this whole table of forks and spoons into SPORKS!

_With my Jedi powers, I will transform this whole table of forks and spoons into SPORKS!_

Or maybe not. Great, fifteen minutes into this pitiful social and already I was bored and pissed. Why was I pissed? Even I, one of the top academic achievers in Port Street was unsure. Perhaps it something to do with the fact she was flaunting her good manners with the rich elders and sending all the 'dorks' condescending looks, or perhaps it had something to do with the fact her giggling gang of chickadees were polluting the air with overly pungent perfumes (rivaling that of a skunk's), or maybe it was the fact that-

"Kagura is so onto Sesshoumaru right now" Theresa said with a relish. To my dismay I automatically whirled around to witness this familiar event before turning back around to the table, when I caught sight of Theresa's manic grin. _Honestly, _that girl probably has a whole Limited Edited Manic Theresa Collection. First there's the Manic Gleam, then there's the Manic Grin and I bet she has a Manic way of cutting her steak too. I brushed a stray tail of hair from my face and pointedly ignored her.

"You know Rin…" Pristine said slyly. "You wouldn't respond to _anything_ and yet at the mere mention of some hoe landing her hands onto your man you-"

"He is so not my man!" I corrected, scandalized.

"I wouldn't blame you if he was though; I mean, look at that independent rear suspension!" Theresa remarked, craning her head to get a good view.

"No! **No**!" I cried out, appalled. "Don't talk about the _Ice Prince_ that way!"

"Yeah!" Pristine reiterated. "It's one of the more important modern rules! Never infringe on another girl's property!" To drive the point home to a blank Theresa, she nudged her head in my direction. My mouth dropped open and I readied myself for a debate when she held up her hand to stop me. "Come on, Rin, I mean, someone had to say it and it wasn't gonna be you"

A slow chime rang over the large hall and every head spun around towards the 'podium' where there stood some official looking men and Inutaisho. Wearing a grin large enough to rival that of a Cheshire Cat's, he waved his arm towards the other men and announced in a loud voice how proud he was to "join you in business", and "how I hope we will make the world a better place". This, I mentioned to Pristine and Theresa, was extremely ironic considering one of Inutaisho's many businesses was dedicated to collecting, preserving and making swords.

"Well, in a way, he is making it a better place considering he gave his sons two of his best swords" Pristine said.

"And in what way does that make this a better place?" I asked.

"Well, Sesshoumaru looks dead sexy on the end of those swords. So dangerous…" Theresa breathed a sparkling light in her eyes. I rolled my eyes at Pristine and started to delicately eat from the plate that had just been set down by a waiter. An hour of small talk went by, filled with much giggling (from young and old, desperate and dateless females) when a band started setting up in a corner of the large room. They began to play soft music and I watched as a man smiled charmingly at a blushing woman, taking her hand and tugging her towards the dance floor. I stepped out of my chair, leaving my friends to converse by themselves and walked towards my father.

"Dad…" I whispered. "You said one hour, right?"

My dad frowned at me, opening his mouth to say something before catching site of something behind me and shaking his head instead. I sighed impatiently. I admitted to myself that although it was a lovely night and that I would have loved to stay with Theresa and Pristine, there was just a gut feeling that I didn't belong here… not right now, at least.

Preoccupied, I hadn't noticed the two men greeting my father.

"And a good evening to you too, Miss. Rin. I trust you are enjoying yourself?" I jumped slightly, then turned and smiled nervously, pulling a wisp of hair behind my ear.

"Of course, Mr. Izuki. It's been a wonderful night. I hope you both are enjoying your night" I turned to curtsey to the other man only to hear a very unpleasant scratching voice that was the object of many girls' desires.

"Any night would be enjoyable without you, Tsuyame. There was an odd stench following you the moment you came in"

Damn Sesshoumaru. Trust him to give me nightmares tonight. Trust him to look just as good as sex on two legs. Trust him to make me feel inadequate…

"I think what you're smelling is Kagura, or perhaps her posse" I said dryly, not bothering to really argue with him.

"Or maybe even one of the older ladies" he said distastefully and I laughed. From the corner of my eye I noticed my father and Inutaisho whispering conspiratorially behind their hands and I rolled my eyes.

I mean, come on, it wasn't like Sesshoumaru and I were actually _friendly_ or anything. Well, actually, I suppose you could call it friendly considering our history. But honestly, it wasn't like we were gonna get together or anything. Because we weren't.

Right?

**Right.**

"Sesshoumaru... why don't you show Rin a good time and take her out onto the dance floor?" Inutaisho suggested slyly.

"I'm _not_ dancing with him!"

"I'm not dancing with _her_!"

We scowled at each other and I inwardly blamed him for deciding to protest at the same time as I.

And then it happened again.

We folded our arms and turned away from each other in _perfect_ unison. We then both hmph'ed before I began to tap my shoe against the cool marble floor in annoyance and Sesshoumaru did a hair-flick.

And the worse thing about it was that every time we looked back at each other to check that we weren't doing the same thing, we would always end up doing _that_ at the same time and then _blush! _

Think of how our dad's would have reacted at that. Can you tell how they reacted?

Well I can tell you how they reacted!

They _chuckled! **My dad dared to chuckle at ME!**_

We glared both glared at them, which caused their chuckles to grow heartier.

"Oh you kids are priceless" Inutaisho said, still heartily chuckling his life out. He grabbed my hand and put it into Sesshoumaru's before pushing us towards the multiple lovebirds', who were all dancing to a slow song. We both looked back at the two men, stricken expressions on our faces.

Oh well, at least as stricken as Sesshoumaru gets. Which is probably just a small eye twitch or something. And really, I think he's always got some mean look. Probably some kind of new age accessory.

But really, I'm digressing. The real problem at that moment was that I was about to get roped into dancing with Sesshoumaru. It wasn't as though I had forgotten the promise to myself to be nicer to him, but I didn't think 'being nice' included 'being forced to dance' with him. And also, I promised myself to be _nicer_ to him, not to be nicer and also have the female population of Port Street hate me.

And with my reasons in order, I made a move to march right back to my previous spot next to my father when he took out a small mp3 from his pocket and made a move to drop it. My eyes widened and stepped back to Sesshoumaru. I gazed into his eyes levelly.

"Sesshoumaru, I want you to know that although I _really_ don't want to dance with you, I have to because of some very… material problems" I squeezed out and roughly assumed a position with him. He raised an eyebrow in reply and slipped and arm around my waist and took my hand.

After a few minutes of blushing and avoiding his eyes, I sighed and decided to get over myself. I leaned my forehead against his shoulder and I was glad he didn't object.

"Your hair smells nice, Tsuyame" he said, nonchalantly, and I wondered how many girls he had swooned to death with that one line.

"Likewise, Izuki" I smirked. We danced a little longer and I looked up at Sesshoumaru. He turned to look at me, and gave the merest of smiles and in return, I smiled back genuinely in contentment.

This was nice, I decided. This was how I wanted to stay forever.

Of course, like with all good things, it had to come to an end.

* * *

A/N: (sobs uncontrollably) I'm finished! All 7900 words of it! I was gonna put in TONNES more, but I wanted something out by the end of the month, so here it is! Next chapter man… God I don't know if I can deal with the plot overload in the next chapter. And just to clarify, I don't this Rin is crushing on Sesshie **_YET_**, I think that she's just learned to accept him and to know that he's an alright guy. Nothing romantically inclined yet. Sorry, so very, _very_ sorry!

**Blue Puppy: **I love how you used the 'f' word, then put dramatic after it. It's wonderful I tell you!

**Mewchild: **Argh, sorry, not much plot this chapter round. But I'm a bit sorry to say that Sesshoumaru is still in the stages of denial, and he just thinks that she's better than the rest, and that he doesn't necessarily look at her as a love interest. Sorry to burst your bubble!

**Trinity: **ARGH! IT'S YOU! Lol, just joking lol, I love replying your reviews. Where should I start? OK, with the compliments thing, yea I don't think anyone really hates compliments, right? And I'm just really glad I'm able to make your day _that_ much brighter. Argh! I KNEW it was Trinh but I didn't wanna say at the risk of sounding impetuous! I really like the fact you just tell me a lot of things about yourself, because I love doing the same thing. DO you mind I get your email? There's just something appealing about spilling your heart to someone halfway across the world and has been brought up a different way! I would LOVE to be able to draw, but in the end, I'm only able to write. A lot of people seem to envy me though, so I guess I should be grateful for that much. Yes, last chapter WAS rather short, but this is a gigantic 7900 chapter, so I hope you're happy now! I worked my butt off to finish this in the last few days, so you should be grateful! Haha, yes, Naraku I think will always be mainly portrayed as a bad person. Even I, who am a big fan, will be portraying him as a bit insane… in the sequel! Right now it's just a bit of an idea of a continuation, but I think I might actually go with it. It won't be as light-hearted as this one, rather, much darker, but I hope it will be just as well received. It's great that you ended up judging Sesshoumaru because that is EXACTLY what I was aiming for, and to know my favorite viewer felt this way just made me smile so wide, and it warmed up my Winter. Yeah, I speak a bit of Vietnamese, but I'm as fluent as my friends, who actually went to Viet School to learn the language. Argh! Look at how much I've typed! Hurry up and pass me your email so I can tell you more woman!

**Chel Bel: **Haha, I think Naraku's appeal lies in the fact he's just a pure badass to me!

**Unknown Fool: **YAY! A new reviewer has joined the ranks! Well, this world doesn't have any demons, and they don't have their ears of their 'tails' or their ears. They're pretty just normal people, so somewhat more athletic. I'm glad you enjoy the story!

**Anuri-Chan: **No! Borderline obsessive is good! I'm just really happy to know how much people enjoy my story!

**IceSugarHigh: **Argh! Not the ass! Lol, well, I put in SOMETHING about his ass, but sadly enough, not as you planned it! Oh well, can you really blame those girls for just wanting his body?

**KitKat7: **Thanks! You have almost no idea how much your reviews mean to me, and I'm sorry if it seems I don't review much on your story but I do it anonymously! A lot of people tell me how much they hate first person until they read my story, and it just really makes a difference to know that they appreciate my style of writing. Let's just say that we're both great writers, and people have learned to appreciate our styles ok? Shake on it! You love my title? (squee!) Originally this story was supposed to be different because Rin was supposed to have been caught when she broke into Sesshoumaru's home, and was then forced to do chores around his home in punishment. Eventually they came to love each other but I though the ending would be so dull if it ended that way, so I decided to add Naraku, because **_NO_** story is complete without our all-round-badass, right? And shhh, but there may even be a sequel if I feel up to it! And it's much more darker than this, I'm expecting!

**Demon-Cat-Snowy: **Yay! It's nice to know that my style isn't considered shabby or anything! Yea, I kinda know about the flaws because I don't know anyone who wants to beta for me who isn't a close friend, so I emailed your yahoo account to see if you'd want to, but I don't think you got it. So I'm asking you now, would you like to proof-read for me? Since I already keep a few people waiting for the chapters, it'd be great if you could do it ASAP, if you don't wanna do it, that's OK. I'm not sure what kind of ending it will be, happy or sad, or even an in-between, but I'm pretty sure that most people will be satisfied! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**MateriaThief06: **I don't think it's a complicated storyline, just a very slow moving one haha! Do you think there'd be a great difference between an Australian and an American version of Rin and Fluffy? Maybe so, considering the lifestyles are different… but in the end, it's about romance so we'll see (wink)

**Aku-Neko:** hehehe, you may be surprised at Kagura's motives and reaction! I would LOVE to write a hot Rin/Sess scene but honestly, I don't believe PG-13 allows it (sigh)

I just ordered a truckload of hugs and kisses!

**Lucy Loo, Dolphin-Slam, Chandral16, Chibi-yumi, Lynn-Minmay **_(awww thanks!), _**AndromedaBlack, Lily of the Shadow, Angel Trainee Flonne **_(I guess you're about to be intrigued!), _**Sassy, CometsChaos, Sesshoumaru's Fluff is Mine, Ger, C'fay **_(we'll just have to see won't we? -wink-) _**and I'myourbutterfly16.**

Gah! You know how much time I spend on these reviews? This chapter I spent roughly two-three hours just replying! This is how dedicated I am to my reviewers and how much I truly appreciate them, so please review!


	13. The Izuki ALarm

Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, trust me, you'd know it.

**A Cool Kind of Punishment**

- Chapter Thirteen :: The Izuki Alarm

Naraku saw red.

**No-one **touched what was his.

----------

_Dear Diary,_

_There has only been one time I have ever seen a knife covered in blood, only once that I have heard a gunshot._

_The night my parents were killed._

_----------_

In the background, soft music played and the lights dimmed to a soft glow.

I pressed my cheek against his shoulder, wrapped my arms around his neck and slowly moved with him. As we slowly made a whole revolution, I noticed our fathers grinning like maniacs from across the room. Frustrated, I rested my other cheek against Sesshoumaru, my head resting nicely within the crook between his chin and his collar bone. I stared blankly at his buttons. Distantly I was aware that someone had either just exited or come in and I shivered when the cold night air blew in. His hands moved to the small of my back and I immediately shuffled closer to his body to avoid the tickling sensation his fingers brought. I blushed straight away and pushed at his chest and I stood apart from him. I looked down to the side and stepped further away as he put out one of his hands towards me.

"Is there something wrong, Rin?" he said quietly. I looked up at the mention of my name and into his serious face. My nose began to tingle and I knew I was ten seconds from crying.

"Don't say my name! Don't say Rin!" I rasped out harshly. "Call my Tsuyame or- or idiot! _Anything_ but Rin!"

Didn't he know how I felt?

No, of course he wouldn't. He was Sesshoumaru, the guy I hated, the guy who made my perfect life un-perfect and the guy who messed absolutely _everything_ up.

Me most of all.

In that moment I felt such an up welling mix of emotions I had to dig my nails into the palm of my hand to get a hold of myself. I let out a shaky breathe and looked back up at him.

Him. The boy who managed to change everything about me in less than a week. The boy who had no idea what he meant to me. The boy who had somehow crept into my life, and who had somehow endeared himself to me.

Him. Sesshoumaru.

"Geez, Tsuyame, anyone would have thought that with even _your_ limited experience, you wouldn't have gotten flustered from just having your _name_ said out loud" Sesshoumaru said.

I scowled at him and stormed out of the room into the garden. I stepped out listening intently to the clicks of my shoes against the cool stones, in an attempt to quell my thoughts, my blood… and strangely enough, my heart.

I shook my head and started on a slow stroll through the Izuki's famous maze, rubbing my shoulders as the cool night air pervaded my senses. There was something so surreal about the moonlight and the small waterdrops on the leaves of the hedges and my mind immediately went blank and when I came to, I found myself already sitting on a small sandstone bench, my palms flat on the frosty surface, fingers curled over the edge.

I suppose that the words epiphany or enlightenment were a bit strong to describe what I felt.

Clarity, I think, was the word I was looking for. Because there, in that maze, alone with my thoughts I didn't think I could deny it to myself any longer.

I had a crush on Sesshoumaru.

I couldn't help but notice what kind of cliché situation I was in; guy hates girl, girl hates guy, girl then grows feelings for guy.

But would Sesshoumaru and I have a happy ending?

I refused to let myself turn into a Theresa (no offence to her) and start to giggle over ways to bend Sesshoumaru to my womanly wiles. Instead I breathed in deeply, mentally gathering reasons why I shouldn't even give Sesshoumaru the time of day.

He insulted me (and still does)

He was conceited and arrogant

He was probably with Kagura (the closet-bondage-gear wearer) right now

He was my academic rival

And… and… and… and the fact that him saying my name made me get this tingly, heavy feeling at the pit of my stomach

Of course, I pointed out to myself; I could also have a crazy infatuation for one week and fully exhaust my feelings for Sesshoumaru, at which point Sesshoumaru would be secretly known as Mr. Sesshoumaru-One-Week-Infatuation-Oh-My-God-What-Was-I-Thinking?-Izuki.

And although that kinda made sense, I would prefer not letting myself go gaga over a guy. Any guy. And that included the great and very highly sought-after Sesshoumaru. I breathed in deeply and rubbed the entire length of arms once again, scowling at my lack of shawl.

I stood up, brushed non-existent particles of dust off my buttocks and started towards the door into the ball room, pausing only to admire a small red flower and let the petals brush the tops of my fingers.

I gasped as the flower snapped off in the cold and fell to the damp grass. I let out a small laugh at myself and bent over to pick the flower up and pin it on my dress and dropped it again as a resounding bang cracked through the crisp, cold air. My breathe hitched, my muscles tensed as I heard a woman scream and some shouting.

All of a sudden I was back in my old neighbourhood, at the age of six, watching it all over again.

_The blood… so much blood…_

_Why is mummy bleeding? Daddy? Why won't you say something? _

_Mummy? **Daddy?!**_

"Not again!" I breathed out, my eyes wide.

Not again. Please, oh please, not again. Don't let me be alone.

Not again.

_Not again._

_**Not again!**_

"DAD!" I screamed, pulling my skirt up around my thighs and running towards the white doors. I fervently thanked the Fates that I wasn't wearing stilettos.

Never again would I be alone.

Never again would I be an orphan.

I had already let my first set of parents go, and half of my second chance - my adoptive parents - had died of cancer; I wasn't about to let my dad go too.

"DAD!" I screamed again, increasing my pace, sighing in relief as I saw the golden glow emanating from the two open doors. I paused a moment to mentally gird my loins and clench my fists before striding inside.

I was only a few metres in before I halted, my eyes wide.

Everywhere there were people, women hitching up their skirts and men… stealing bottles of expensive wine? I shook my head looked toward the podium where Inutaisho was valiantly trying to calm people… but where was my father? Or Sesshoumaru? My chest began to heave violently and I closed my eyes and forced myself to slow down…

…_be the ant_… _be the ant_… I chanted to myself. I breathed in deeply one last time before opening my eyes.

In that moment, I was the ant and I weaved my steady and hurried way through the throng of people, my eyes flitting from side to side, searching for my father… Once again Inutaisho's voice boomed over the room and my eyes instantly shot to the microphone he was holding. If I could get up there…

I hefted my skirts up just above my knees and ran up to the podium, standing beside Inutaisho. I tapped his shoulder and mouthed 'my father' to him, not bothering to waste my breathe shouting over the top of the pandemonium.

"Tsuyame!" he said breathlessly. "Thank God you're safe – your dad just ran out of here, looking for you!" I sighed in relief and turned around, running back down the small steps. On the second step I paused for a few seconds, then putting my fingers to my lips and whistled very, _very_ loudly. Instantly the room quietened and Inutaisho threw me a look of complete gratitude. I grinned at him before swivelling around and running back into the garden.

"Dad!" I yelled. I shivered and rubbed my arms in a vain attempt to stop the goose-bumps from coming up. I ran on, slowing down as I entered the maze reluctantly. I walked quickly through the maze, conscious that I was going deeper than I should have, that I was likely to need saving myself.

Black.

I turned around quickly to try and follow the dark shape that just passed behind a small hedge. My breathing began to quicken again and I licked my imaginary-chapped lips. I tried to retrace my steps to get out and heard a rustle behind me. I spun around. I chewed on my bottom lip.

"Just a stray… just a stray…" I muttered, even though I knew that it was near-impossible that a stray could have made it passed the Izuki Gates. I walked on, purposely slowing down so that I wouldn't panic and lose my way.

Snap.

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to ignore the fact I had just heard a twig break.

"Just a fat chicken… just a fat chicken…" I squeezed through clenched teeth.

"Not just any fat chicken my sweetling… **this **fat chicken…" I gasped and sought to find a place to hide when a surprisingly warm hand clamped over my lips and an arm slid around my waist, holding me back again a crisp-feeling suit.

I felt my torso touch the arm as I breathed and I smelled the soft scent of expensive cologne. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, trying to ignore the sweet smell, then opened them again as I began to struggle against my subjugator, the result being that he only tightened his hold on me. He leant forward, his breathe tickling my baby hairs and lightly kissed the back of my neck. I shivered slightly and I chocked on a dry sob.

I couldn't believe that I was enjoying this.

This. This feeling of terror and desire all in one thrilling moment of danger. I felt so sickened at my reaction that I went completely limp in his arms, letting him support my weight against himself. He tenderly turned me to face him, his elbow against my spine, his hand against my shoulder blades, the fingers of his other hand brushing the apple of my cheek.

"Naraku…" I breathed.

In this moment, there was only him and myself, and I was currently lost in the whorls of his ears… the lacklustre of his onyx eyes… the slight curl of his hair… the bridge of his nose… the colour of his lips…

I leaned forward slowly, completely lost in the rapture of wanting _him…_

He laughed, a deep and rich chuckle and tilted his head so that I only touched his cheek. I blinked once and came back to myself.

"A little eager aren't we…" he whispered as his fingered the line of my jaw.

I was torn – on the one hand, I wanted so badly to just stay here with him… and on the other hand, I knew that there were other people. Ones with no history of stalking, obsessing, murder… but there was something about Naraku, something so dark, that I was swallowed up in the intensity of it…

"Rin!" a voice called out and the next thing I knew, I was standing alone, standing in the light of a full moon in the Great Maze of the Izuki Garden.

"Naraku…" I whispered, before turning around and greeting my 'saviour', "Sesshoumaru"

----------

"Is the tea to your liking, ma'am?" asked Jakken in his greasy voice.

"It's fine, thank you very much" I said, turning to the midget butler. I readjusted the scratchy blanket around my shoulders, sipping from my mug of hot tea.

"How are you, Rin?" Inutaisho asked me kindly.

I blushed and turned away. "Fine… just… please don't tell Sesshoumaru…"

Inutaisho put his hand on my shoulder, and the look in his eyes told me that although he wouldn't, he really wanted to.

Really wanted to what, you wonder.

Well you see, after my little lust-filled rendezvous with Naraku, I had collapsed in Sesshoumaru's arms, pressing myself so close to him just so that I could know that I was _there,_ that I wasn't lost, that I wasn't crazy. Within the calamity of my mind I decided to tell him that I loved him and that I just wanted to be in his arms forever and never to be such an idiot again…

… only to find out that it was actually Sesshoumaru's _father_ that I had just told.

Embarrassing? Tell me about it.

And _of course_ I don't want Sesshoumaru to know what I had said to his father because _of course _I didn't love him. And besides, with all the confusion and with everything that had just happened, I was just a little befuddled in the senses and I just needed to say something. Something incredibly stupid and moronic albeit, but still, I maintained the fact that I didn't love him. Because I'm only fifteen and I was still a little mucked up in the head and because I was a little overwhelmed by the dance with Sesshoumaru and because I was still inexperienced and because there was Naraku…

I held my head in my hands and looked up when someone pulled up the blankets around my shoulders, glad to have someone to distract me from thoughts of Port Street's ex-bad-boy.

Only to see that _Sesshoumaru _had been the one to pull the blankets up around my shoulders. Port Street's current boy-of-the-year.

I blushed and turned away. "Thanks" I muttered stiffly.

Oh the wonders of being a girl who has never been in love.

Or not.

"Are you alright?" he asked and I nodded. With a certain amount of difficulty (not that it really showed, but I could see it), he continued. "My father told me you were out there in the cold without your shawl…"

"I'm fine" I said, a little forcefully.

He cast me a quick glance from the corner of his eyes and went on. "He said that there had been someone had been holding you before he had called out your name… and that you two looked quite… cosy"

My eyes shot up to Sesshoumaru, who was staring at me unwaveringly. "Your father hadn't told me he had seen him…"

"He didn't think it was anything of importance. Perhaps just a man helping you back on your feet after you had tripped"

"It was. You think otherwise?"

"I think you're hiding something"

"I'm not. The guy's married to a jealous and overbearing wife. If any female's name popped up in the same sentence as his own, his wife would castrate him" I lied, realising that Sesshoumaru had also lied about his father thinking that it was unimportant.

If it was so unimportant, why did he tell his son?

"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru mock-pondered. "Strange, I don't remember Naraku being married, let alone having an overbearing and jealous wife that would castrate him if his name popped up in the same sentence as another female's"

I stared back at Sesshoumaru. "And even if I was with him? What could you do about it?"

"I don't believe he was on the guest list, Rin-" again, there was a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach "- and if that were the case, I would have had him thrown out and charged with trespassing"

"That's where you're wrong, Sesshie" a voice called out from the middle of the ballroom. A boy around my age walked through the small crowd of people left in the ballroom and as he came closer I realised with a shock his hair was just as white (but not as long) as Sesshoumaru's and his father's. His face was younger than Sesshoumaru's, his eyes larger and brighter, his nose not as sharp… and were those _fangs?!_

"It's _Sesshoumaru,_ you illiterate piece of junk" Sesshoumaru said superiorly. Even as he sat down and the other boy was standing, Sesshoumaru gave the impression the other boy was kneeling at his feet as he looked down his nose. "Rin, meet Inuyasha, my illegitimate brother. Illegitimate brother, meet Rin, Tsuyame, your superior"

Inuyasha scowled at Sesshoumaru, "Naraku _was_ on the invite list, he is, after all, heir to Youkai Corporations and all its glory…" he then thrust his hand towards me. "'Name's Inuyasha, I've heard all about you from Sesshie here – he never stops talking about you, you know"

I cast a quick, shocked glance at Sesshoumaru before putting out my hand delicately and shaking Inuyasha's proffered hand. "Rin, pleased to meet your acquaintance" I mumbled, looking after Sesshoumaru as he sat up abruptly and moved away. I turned back to Inuyasha as he spoke.

"You know you have the exact same eyes as Kagome?" he said abruptly.

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to explain, but a pair of feminine hands came from around his head, and covered his lips. He turned around and grinned as looked on Kagome's face. I envied the way a person could touch another so familiarly, and know exactly who they were with no indication of voice or sight.

"Hey, Rin. I've seen you around school, but I don't think we've ever met" Kagome chirped.

"Mm… I don't think we have, but hi anyway" I laughed. We all shared an awkward moment where we stared at each, smiling like idiots before Sango and Miroku (both dressed rather snazzily) entered the little ring.

Inuyasha coughed once or twice before speaking seriously. "Rin… we heard that you were out there tonight… with Naraku." I swallowed, about to deny it when Kagome broke in front of me.

"Rin, we know that you may not want to admit to something like that, but it is imperative that you tell us everything that has ever happened and probably will ever happen between you and Naraku…" Kagome paused, sharing a hesitant look with her boyfriend. "More than your life depends on it, Rin"

"What?!" I gasped. "It's my business whether or not I have been seeing Naraku! And I know that he hasn't got the cleanest record, but I don't see how I am endangering anyone!"

Inuyasha tittered in frustration and impatience before pulling me up by my elbow and dragging me up the stairs. Kagome pushed at me from behind and I yelped as I felt one of my butt cheeks get pinched. "Miroku!" I heard Sango's voice cry out in mortification.

We made it to the third landing in the Izuki mansion, and had the circumstances been different, I would have admired the décor. As it was, Inuyasha jammed a key hidden on his self into the lock on a rather shady-looking door and pulled me in quickly. He looked around the landing before shutting the door smartly behind us.

"Is this some new form of peer pressure?" I asked shakily.

"Sorry" Kagome said apologetically. "But we can't risk being overheard"

"I didn't think Naraku was that sensitive to what other people thought about him" I replied rather dubiously.

"Feh. There are more things at stake than just Naraku's feelings" Inuyasha said gruffly.

"You see," Miroku said, with a very cheesy grin (and was it just me or was he getting a little _too_ close?), "it has come to our attention that Naraku has taken a liking to you"

To me it seemed a bit like a cheesy movie where the lights seemed to dim and everyone moved several inches closer, intent on my reply.

I stared back before spluttering "Mrooble!" effectively ruining the moment.

The lights came back on (not that they ever went off) and everyone went back to their respective positions within the cramped room.

"Look Rin," Sango began soothingly, "we know for a fact that Naraku paid you a visit a while ago, and that he was with you in the maze earlier this night. We also know that he was coming onto you"

"Ew" Kagome put in helpfully, then upon noticing me said "Not that you shouldn't be flattered, I mean, he _is_ a very cute guy -" then upon seeing Inuyasha's scowl said "but he's not really my type"

"I would hope that psychopathic maniacal killers weren't your type" Miroku said cheerily.

"Back onto topic…" Sango interrupted hastily, "Naraku. Right. He's so into you"

"You're back off topic again" Inuyasha growled.

"Right! Err…"

Kagome laughed nervously. "OK, Inuyasha, I think we should tell Rin"

"I don't"

"Why?"

"Because that means that she'll have to get involved"

"Um, in case you haven't noticed… _she already is involved!_" Inuyasha cowered in the face of Kagome's anger and mumbled a 'yes, ma'am'. Kagome turned back to me. "Rin, do you know why Kikyo was killed?"

I blinked and knew that this was a sensitive subject. Kikyo had been Kagome's twin sister. Kikyo had pretty much been arranged to Sesshoumaru and Kagome to Inuyasha. Of course, by twisted fate, Kikyo had fallen for Inuyasha, and he kept confusing one with the other. Sesshoumaru, it seemed, was a lot closer to Kikyo than he was to anybody else. Oh! The deranged relationships of the rich!

Of course, that didn't stop me from wondering what he saw in Kikyo exactly and whether I'd match up to Miss. Perfect…

"Um… I heard that Naraku was a little too obsessive in his love for her… WAIT!" I cried. "This doesn't mean that Naraku is gonna kill me! I can take perfectly good care of myself, I mean, it wasn't even proved that he killed her!"

At this point, I shut up, finally taking notice of Inuyasha's dark look.

"Rin… you don't really believe that do you?"

I shook my head slowly.

"You don't have to be sorry… it's just… we couldn't exactly tell the police everything, it's our fault he wasn't properly convicted…" Kagome whispered slowly.

"What?" I asked, bemused. The situation was getting weirder and weirder.

Kagome shared a conspiratorial look with Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha before taking a deep breathe.

"You see, Rin, Kikyo was set to inherit a family heirloom called the Shikon No Tama…"

----------

A/N: AAAAAAAARGH! rips hair out DAMMIT! I wanted to put the entire plot HERE, but I just got some major block at the last 20 lines, and I left this story rotting in my folder for about three months before giving you that serious anti-climax if I ever heard of one! GAH! But I am honestly so working on the next chapter pronto because I've got a major holiday coming up and I'm typing my Rin-alised butt off! Ah maaaan, this was one pathetic chapter I wanna kill myself…. SO sorry for the majorised wait… so so sorry… may the law fiend get one day….

**Jade Eyed Neko: **Well I'm thinking of introducing knifesticks or knorks or spives in the next chapter…

**Sakura1221: **Thanks! I was really aiming for something different and humorous, but with an actual plotline so I'm glad you think it's great!

**Aninaig (or GERRRRR!): **Well I think he said Tsuyame coz they're still kinda enemies, and hey! It might be something that makes their love/hate relationship great!

**Dragon Eyez: **I hope I didn't keep your from your homework and your bed this time…

**Andromeda Black: **Sorry I took so long with this chapter!

**Retta: **Naraku and Rin never kissed, I don't think lol

**Des: **Fruits Basket is so mad, but Shigure is my favourite actually!

**TRINITY!: **Argh I've been such a bad girl for not updating and not emailing you! Forgive me! **YOU MUST**!! About the Law Fiend, I have NO idea! In the fever-pitch of my starting a new chapter, all these ideas just burst from fingertips like swear words from South Park. What exactly is SHOUJO Manga? I don't get the Shoujo bit… -.- But I've bought a lot of manga during the few months that I haven't been typing this story hehe. Yeah, I'd like to think of Dad's as pretty embarrassing and always dorkishly wanting to tease their kids, it's a great concept, ne? Oooh, even though I'd like some good comic relief in this story, Naraku won't be it. I'd fall out of love with him if he turned goofy! Not that there's anything bad with being goofy, but I have a bad boy and pretty boy complex. Right now I'm kinda with a pretty boy. Behind my parents back. Eep! Awwww, well I'm thinking that after this story I'm gonna try and finish my other story on and also my Harry Potter one, which I haven't worked on since end of January lol! Then maybe I might work on a one-shot or two. Really, it's all depends on whether or not I feel up to a lot of angst and another ongoing story. It's so easy to run outta steam at the crucial moment! Hope to see your review for this chapter!

**Demon-Cat-Snowy: **I would change his name, but there's no point because the name's already there so shrug

**West FullMoon: **The winds may change between this male and yourself… Wink

**BurntAlive: **Yeah, it is pretty horrible but after I retyped everything and got stuck, it just became a pathetic excuse so I wouldn't have to admit that I was failing as a writer… sniff

**Many sorry's and thanks to… : Shaun, Karma's Haven, Lucy loo, imyourbutterfly16, CometsChaos, Reality Introvert, Kawaii-ish, Dolphin-Slam, Sesshy's Girlfriend **_(How come YOU get to be his girlfriend?!)_**Aneue Sango, Unknown Fool, Lynn-Minmay, C'fay, Sarah **_(that's my name too!)_**, Chibi-Call **_(cool-ass name!)_**, Polaris-Fire-Star, Annouyms, Tigerose08 **_(glad to have helped with the bad-day bugs!)_**, Otter-of-Stuff, Rein Rin, Angel Trainee Flonne, g27 and Choco Coco!!!**

**I wanna give a special thanks to those who have reviewed me in the last month because it really encouraged me to get off my comic obsession and get back to the story-writing…**

**Outtake #1**

What a way to wake up.

Getting slammed in the head with a big rectangular prism covered in cow hide.

Mmmm… cow hide… yummy…

**Outtake #2** (Dedicated to the Ayame and Shigure fans out there!!)

"Rin, I told you I liked two sugars! And I _know_ I told you that I liked to stir my _own_ coffee?" At that moment my dad noticed Inutaisho Izuki - _THE Inutaisho Izuki! -_ and set down his mug then familiarly clapped the white haired mans hands in his own and shook them. Mr. Izuki smiled genially and chuckled.

"Like to stir your own coffee, Tsuyame? Just like I hope you like to _personally_ handle my file?"

"Oh, I like to handle more than just _your_ file…"

**Outtake #3**

"Rin, we know that you may not want to admit to something like that, but it is imperative that you tell us everything that has ever happened and probably will happen between you and Naraku…" Kagome paused, sharing a hesitant look with her boyfriend. "More than your life depends on it, Rin"

"Love lives getting a little dull are they?"

**Outtake #4**

"Rin, we know that you may not want to admit to something like that, but it is imperative that you tell us everything that has ever happened and probably will happen between you and Naraku…" Kagome paused, sharing a hesitant look with her boyfriend. "More than your life depends on it, Rin"

"What?! So _this_ is how you gather gossip?"

**I also just wanna ask: judging from my writing, do you think I'd be a major dork in real-life? And if not, then what kind of person would I be?**


	14. Your Truth is My Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, I own YOU!

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

Chapter Fourteen : Your Truth is My Truth

They had been in there for a while now.

Inutaisho Ayame Izuki (1 – someone requested that I somehow change Inutaisho's name to something else, and since I wanted to somehow fit a Hatori and an Ayame somehow, I thought this would be convenient) and Shigure Tsuyame sat quietly beside one another, periodically filling up their glasses with wine.

"They've been in there for a while now" Shigure said, slightly agitated. He lifted his glass and tipped his head back as he gulped the red drink. Ayame grinned widely and gracefully sipped at his own.

"No worries, 'Gure (2 – for those of you who don't know, 'Gure is merely a shortening of Shigure, like in the Fruits Basket manga, okay!) We had to do it and after this, Sesshoumaru and Rin will have to spend more time together, thereby falling in love and popping out many little Aya's and Gure's!"

"You're drunk, Aya" Shigure said shortly, smiling.

"I must be, to let your daughter get involved," Ayame said seriously.

"She's a lot stronger than you or I know," Shigure replied calmly, "and if anything happens…" and a strange evil smile spread across his face, "if anything happens, I'm sure _Sesshoumaru_ will valiantly protect her"

As one, they both turned their heads upwards, towards the railing of the third landing, where the Ice Prince leaned against the railing, arms folded. And as one they both looked at one another and had a good fatherly-chuckle moment.

"Oh, he is _so_ into her…" Ayame said, before once again chuckling.

Up on the third landing, Sesshoumaru sneezed.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_They say that love founded in crisis will not amount to anything. But what if it had started before that? What if... what if a crisis was the only way love could find a way to come out? What if it was the only way two stubborn people could be forced to admit they liked one another?_

_

* * *

_

I was in danger, even though it hadn't seemed like it.

I ran out of the room. My eyes were focused on the ground as I tried to separate nightmare from reality, rumor from fact and truth from lies. I was so exhausted though and I couldn't keep up with what seemed to be coming at me from all directions.

**Panic.**

I closed my eyes and tilted my head upwards. I bit my lip as breathed in. Right now, all I needed was sleep. And tomorrow… tomorrow I would try to figure out how I could manage to stay alive until this time next year.

I slowly opened my eyes and in front of me, leaning against the wooden railing, was Sesshoumaru.

I felt my heart slow down as he stared at me. One part of me wanted to just break down and kick and scream but I knew he wouldn't have it. So instead, I stared back at him and I tried my hardest to be strong. I wouldn't be like the girl-heroes that fell into her man-heroes arms.

But I couldn't be the tough chick that withstood everything either. This was the 21st century and warrior princesses were just a myth.

So I walked up to him. I looked him in the eye. And trying so hard not to waver in my resolve, trying so hard not to break eye contact, I raised my hand… and I slapped him.

Hard.

My hands stung and my heart clenched seeing his face snap to the side, but I was so angry. When I thought about the things said in that room, when I thought about the way I had been so stupidly, so unintentionally brought into this… I couldn't bring myself to feel bad about slapping the Ice Prince of Port Street Preparatory. Granted I was probably going to feel the wrath of a thousand high school fan girls come Monday, I wasn't going to say sorry. I wasn't going to ask for his help. I wasn't even going to wait for an explanation.

That was before he turned back around to look at me.

And I saw nothing. Not one emotion flitted over his face. Guilt, surprise, outrage, indignation… none of these showed. So what had I been expecting? A melodramatic scene where he would drop to his knees and beg my forgiveness? Desperation in his eyes while he admits his 'true' feelings? The Ice Prince, I reminded myself bitterly. An Ice Prince. And that meant he wasn't meant to be anything like what a love interest from an overrated romance novel should be.

I saw it all now, looking at him. I had picked the wrong guy to fall for. Trust me, a sucker for cliché's, to fall for the bad boy.

I could feel my resolve weakening – how far did my feelings extend that I couldn't even stay angry?

Yet still I tried. I stared back calmly, levelly, almost challenging him. My fists clenched and I consciously fought to slow my heart, though it was hard enough to keep it from skipping beats as his unusual eyes stayed upon mine_. So intense,_ I kept thinking, _if only…_

He gave nothing away. Would he ever? Why did I even bother? To vent anger, to provoke a response?

"I'm sorry"

What?

My heart paced even faster and I struggled to comprehend. Sesshoumaru… apologize to me? I sighed in relief. So he knew what had happened and what would happen to me. Did him apologizing to me mean he was sorry I was involved? And surely that meant he cared? My heart fluttered girlishly at the thought.

Upon realizing this, the guilt rushed in. Then the regret. Possibilities raced through my mind – fan girls murdering me, Kagura sending me to her Bondage Chamber of Doom, Sesshoumaru's face forever marred… not that it really mattered; didn't loads of chicks dig scars?

All silly thoughts I knew, but right now I didn't want to worry about Naraku, or the Shikon No Tama or Kikyo. Maybe tonight was better spent sleeping and appreciating what I had. Tomorrow… tomorrow I'd begin to process.

My eyes hadn't left Sesshoumaru's. His cheek was reddening and I dropped my head in apology. To my surprise, he walked over, tilted my chin up ad raised one fine eyebrow.

"High and Mighty Tsuyame bowing her head in acquiescence to _me?_" he said archly.

Outrage flared into life. Before I could think of a retort, or better yet, push him over that goddamn redwood railing, he grabbed my hand and pulled me downstairs. After dragging me callously down them, he began leading me somewhere. Ignoring our fathers, ignoring Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku and Sango peeking out of the room, ignoring the antique décor I focused on our hands. His fingers lightly entwined with my own. Was I sweating? Would he let go? _Don't let go,_ I pleaded, _not yet._

My stomach was doing flip-flops and my mouth, going dry, as I tried to pay attention to where I was.

He gently, yet firmly, pushed me onto a stool in a room that was obviously the kitchen. He went to a cupboard and began to look for something while I wriggled my fingers curiously. They felt strangely fuzzy and numb. I wondered if I had a chance –

**NO.** Never. Not with Number-One-Superiority-Complex-Doofus. My mouth twisted into a wry grin as I realized that _feelings_ had unresearched and possibly dangerous side effects. Fan-girlish squeals and hair-twirling attitudes – there was no way I was giving into this depraved sickness.

And so ignoring my heart, the butterflies in my stomach and the tingles in my fingertips, I sat on the stool upright and dignified.

Sesshoumaru handed me a piece of buttered toast and I glanced at him suspiciously before sniffing the bread.

"It's not **poisoned**, Tsuyame," he said derisively.

"Never know. You may want me silenced to prevent news of your apology leaking out and damaging your _precious_ reputation," I pointed out.

"Tsuyame, look around you. If I wanted you silenced all I'd have to do is pick a sword or," he lifted an object from a hook on the wall, "a butchers knife of my choice and stab you."

"In the back?"

He looked thoughtful. "In the heart maybe (my heart beat painfully). Or perhaps I'd just spork you in the eye"

"You have _sporks_ here?" I queried, shocked.

"Inuyasha collects them," he said vaguely as he set a hot mug of something in front of me. "Milk," he said, answering me before I could ask. "I thought it'd be nice to help you grow taller." Admittedly not his best.

"Ha-ha," I responded sarcastically.

"Ah, well I also hoped that it'd help you produce a better rack"

Oh no. He didn't just. Too disgusted to even defend my rack, I took the mug and hurled it at him. Sesshoumaru dodged cleanly, clearly amused. What we both hadn't counted on was Jakken standing right behind him.

We watched, morbidly fascinated, as a milk-covered Jakken ran about screaming about cows or whatnot. I took Sesshoumaru's preoccupation with his butler as a chance to flee.

I yanked my dad by his collar and dragged him to the door. He gaily called out his goodbyes as I flung my shawl about my shoulders. The valet already had our car waiting at the bottom of the steps. Just as I was stepping in, Sesshoumaru ran out.

"Rin! About our newspaper report -!" he called.

"Report this, punk!" I said rudely, sticking up a certain finger before shutting the car door.

My dad chuckled. "That's my girl…"

* * *

I desperately clung to the vestiges of my dream. I believe it was about puppy dogs and a knife through Sesshoumaru's throat but already the images were slipping.

I sighed and opened my eyes. I rolled onto my side to look out my window but was too depressed to sit up and get out of bed.

So today was the day. From here on out, my life would be like something from out of a drama. Or had it already started from that moment Naraku accosted me outside the school? Or perhaps the moment I had my first serious run-in with Sesshoumaru in the History Corridor? No… it had begun much, **much** earlier…

"_Rin… have you ever heard of the myth regarding the Shikon No Tama?"_

It turns out there was something so big right within my school, and I'd had no idea. Within the space of an hour, Kagome Higurashi and Inuyasha Izuki had let me in on their families' biggest secret. And little had I known, it had been mine as well.

* * *

_Rin… have you ever heard of the myth regarding the Shikon No Tama? Ah, I thought not. To be completely honest, it's not a myth but more like a piece of unconfirmed history. A legend if you will. Historians and scientists however would die for the truth of our families but for now, we will keep it just a fanciful notion, an undefined dream. Are you ready? You might want to sit down. Ok…_

_For generations, the Shikon No Tama has been passed down from eldest daughter to eldest daughter with the Izuki family acting as protectors for the noble Higurashi's, guardians of the Shikon No Tama._

_For thousands of years many selfish and prideful men sought this Shikon No Tama. To them, it was worth more than their own lives and they did anything and everything to obtain the precious jewel. Yet each and every time, the Izuki champions would fulfill their oath to protect their women and the Shikon No Tama remained on its chain at the Higurashi Shrine. _

_Hundreds of years passed._

_There was a certain man, belonging to the infamous Youhi Clan. He was their head and a very ambitious monster eager to seduce the Higurashi women into submitting to his will and betraying the Izuki Family. His clan was the complete opposite to the Higurashi's. They were dedicated to war, destruction and pestilence. They were calculating and their black hearts were set on creating more and more diseases to choke the life out of humanity. In particular, they loved poisons. They concocted brilliant but deadly serums and they laced their daggers with poison, but they cared especially for a certain red powder, gritty in feeling and swift in dealing death._

_The Higurashi women however were children of the Arts of Life. They had a deep knowledge in the body and herbs and searched for cures._

_The two families' were polar opposites._

_One dark night, the head twin sisters of the Higurashi House were woken by the two brothers who were assigned to protect the sisters personally. The two were ushered out quietly, still in their bedclothes. They were horrified to find most of their house dead and the Shikon No Tama gone from its rightful place in the sacred shrine. The two brothers urged them to stay quiet and took them deep within the mountains. They were forced to mourn the loss of their whole house silently and without proper ceremony, and almost died with guilt when they found out that the brothers, too, had their whole family slain or poisoned nights before. For the whole journey into the freezing valleys, they were burdened with the shame of losing the precious Jewel…_

_They were surprised to find a girl in the cave, waiting for them. She was dirty and small but she exuded an aura of dignity and righteousness. The sisters fell upon the young girl, crying with joy for it was their younger cousin and next in line for the inheritance of the Shikon No Tama. Except, now there was nothing left to inherit and they had lost everything they held to their name._

_That night they all huddled around a small depressing fire and listened to the girl's story. _

_She had awoken to find her mother shaking her awake, telling her to alert the Izuki men of treachery. Luckily for the girl, she was slight of figure, light of foot and had years of experience as a mischief-maker. She was able to escape quickly without being discovered but found that the Izuki House had been slaughtered._

_Red powder was everywhere._

_Now panicking, she had run back to her home and brought anything of value to the cave in the mountains, hoping that the brothers had been alerted and had brought the head sisters._

_She produced a packet of powder from the sleeve of her torn kimono and passed it to the elder sister. It had the trademark red color and gritty texture of the Youhi Clan._

_They had been defeated and the Shikon No Tama had been stolen._

_As each of the four listeners bowed their respective head in contemplation of what had happened, the girl began to laugh, a rich tinkling like rain on glass. Everyone looked up in surprise. From the inside of her kimono she pulled out a fine chain and at the end was a beautiful crystal, glowing with infinite possibilities. It was the powder that gave it away, the girl said. Realizing that the Youhi's had been behind it, she had immediately taken the Shikon No Tama. In its place she had put her own toy necklace that her mother had given her when she had been but a small child, knowing that no-one bar those set to inherit the Jewel had seen it. It was a polished pink quartz stone. That night, the girl had run away with the real Shikon No Tama, leaving the necklace in its place. _

_She laid the Shikon No Tama into the elder sisters hands and went to the back of the cave to get something. The sisters watched the girl curiously as she unwrapped something. They were badges with the insignia of the Higurashi and Izuki families branded into the bronze. She gave one to each of them. There was nothing for her._

_She stood above them with her back turned as she explained what was to happen. The Higurashi's, despite having been almost completely wiped out, was still of noble blood and of rare beauty. The sisters would go out and find another noble family willing to adopt or marry them and the brothers would follow. _

_The sisters looked up, confused. What would happen to the girl?_

_The girl smiled sadly and kissed everyone on the forehead. She pulled another toy-necklace from around her neck. She would be a diversion and have the Youhi's think she was carrying the Shikon No Tama. They would chase after her, while the Higurashi's sought protection from another noble house._

_The sisters pleaded and cried for her to stay with them but she stubbornly refused. She agreed to sleeping with them for that night and talking it with them in the morning, but while they slept, she snuck out into the cold._

_The sisters wept in the morning and could find no sign of her in the fresh snow. So they complied with her wishes and found a handsome noble to marry the younger sister, while the elder sister waited on her. The Izuki brothers followed each sister and bore their own children in minor houses._

_The Youhi's head of clan was enraged upon receiving the fake Shikon No Tama the young girl had left behind at the massacred house. He sent the younger men of his house, which he affectionately named the Youkai, to find her using the scent she left behind. The girl was very cunning though, and gave them a chase that lasted centuries. She renamed herself. Her daughters, and her daughter's daughters all inherited the same mischief and cleverness that the young girl had, and they put this to good use. They became doctors, merchants, minstrels,** thieves**. Not once could the Youkai catch the women that so enjoyed fooling the Youhna line. Until one day, they finally caught up with the last descendant of the line. Posing as a poor woman, she lived in the harshest neighborhoods. They murdered her in the dark of night, along with her husband, who so valiantly, so _stupidly_ tried to protect her. _

_So once again they took the necklace around her neck to take to their Head of Clan, many generations after their ancestor had sent them to find it. And once again their Head of Clan screeched to the stars about deceit, about fraud and cursed the young girl from hundreds of years before. But it was too late – the Higurashi women had already reinstated their position in the world, alongside their damned Izuki protectors. There was nothing he could do. Unable to handle the humiliation, he drank his own poison and left his empire to his young son._

_Rin. Do you know what the young girls name was? No… you wouldn't, would you?_

_It was… Tsuyame Higurashi._

* * *

**And so it was that the Higurashi's ended up protecting the Izuki's. **

I rolled onto my back.

**And so it was that Higurashi became Tsuyame. **

I got out of bed and grabbed some clothes.

**And so it was that my parents were murdered. **

I turned on the hot water and lathered some shampoo into my hair.

**And so it was that Mr. Izuki and my father came together when I was first adopted (had they known even _then?)_. **

I combed my hair and neatly tied it back.

**And so it was that I had first met Sesshoumaru. **

I randomly chose something clean out my drawers to wear. Jeans, a shirt, a jacket.

**And so it was that Naraku Youhi of the Youkai Corporations began his sadistic mind games. **

One cursory glance in the mirror and I opened my bedroom door.

**And so it was now, me finding out the truth about my family history. I was of noble blood. I was related to Kagome Higurashi, to Kikyo Higurashi. I was one of the Shikon No Tama's guardians. I was Naraku's enemy; our families' hate transcending millennia** (3 – anyone smell a Romeo and Juliet spin-off?)

I walked up to railing… and there he was, waiting for me at the foot of the stairs.

_**And Sesshoumaru was my champion.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Outtake #1**

"They've been in there for a while now" Shigure said, slightly agitated. He woefully lifted his glass and tipped his head back as he gulped the red drink. Ayame grinned widely and gracefully sipped at his own.

"Don't worry, the orgy doesn't start until we're there!"

**Outtake #2**

"Oh, he is _so_ into her…" Ayame said, before once again chuckling.

Up on the third landing, Sesshoumaru sneezed and toppled over the railing.

_Score! Fetch, fangirls!_

**Outtake #3**

My eyes hadn't left Sesshoumaru's. His cheek was reddening and I dropped my head in apology. To my surprise, he walked over, tilted my chin up ad raised one fine eyebrow.

"High and Mighty Tsuyame bowing her head in acquiescence to _me?_" he said archly.

"Well I _am_ the submissive type…"

Sesshoumaru pouted cutely. "What, you mean you don't like bondage and whips? I was _so _looking forward to spending some quality time with you…" he sighed. "Guess Kagura'll have to do…"

**Outtake #4**

And so ignoring my heart, the butterflies in my stomach and the tingles in my fingertips, I sat myself on stool upright and dignified.

Sesshoumaru handed me a bottle of conditioner. I looked at him, bemused. He sighed like I was a moron and pointed to his hair.

"Hello? Post-traumatic-event-treatment for my hair?"

* * *

**A/N: **weeeee eight months of wait - is it worth it? To be honest I felt inspired when one of you had reviewed or emailed me but gosh, past few months have been completely hectic and depressing and hard. I don't even have some lame thing like my brother screwing my computer up to make up for this. Anyways, I was cleaning out my inbox two nights ago I found a bunch of reviews and I read each one and finally decided to finish off this. So this is the result of two days. It's quite a short chapter but I thought I made up for that with the major plot bunny. Um, I'm hoping to get onto the next chapter ASAP, but keep looking at my profile page for updates k? Oh and _man! _I was reading over my first few chapters to refresh my memory and I apologize for the grammatical errors and rushed style, I'm so glad you've kept up so far!

**Some people mentioned that Kagome and Inuyasha had already met Rin. Let me fix this, by meet I usually think of actual conversation and extended period of time in each other's company. So when Kagome says, "I don't believe we've met" she means, "I've seen you round and I was at your house a while back but we haven't met formally"**

**Unknown Fool: **Ah, the Shikon No Tama and all it's mysteries… you'll just have to find out _next _chapter! XD And yes, computers _can _be annoying, but meh, what can you do? T.T It seemed like I'd given up on my story but now, getting this done, I'm glad it hasn't ) About Rin's parents, what happened has been explained… shocking revelation or not?

**Sesshy's Girlfriend: **Oh wow! Twin sisters, just like Kagome and Kikyo in this story, huh?

**Aninaig: **your review scared me at first! And I hope I've explained the whole meeting thing sufficiently in the author notes. I'm hoping I can make their relationship great but I'm not sure if I should make it cliché or completely different… I'm trying to fit in an aw-factor kind of thing but it doesn't ever seem to work for me…

**BellaDiva16: **Ah, thought I was dead again this time round, didn't you? He-he, what couldn't you imagine happening? Which part? O.o

**BurntAlive: **Fruits Basket is just the bomb. I really love Shigure and Hatori together, Shigure annoying Hatori and Hatori making Shigure cry, it's kind of cute in a sick and twisted kind of way (much Shigure-love).

**Trinity: **So… we meet again. Wow, red paint, it does sound kind of weird, but I'm cool with that haha. I'm actually over that pretty-boy thing now; they aren't all they seem, as I found out the hard way (sigh). The reason I think all my chapters are bad is because they're all in rough totally un-edited form, and I just want to get that point across I guess? Plus when you say you think they're just fine, other people are saying there isn't enough "aw-factor" (sigh). I'm not made for aw-factors, sadly enough. About the Kikyo-Kagome-Inuyasha triangle, I guess I tried simplifying it. This chapter kind of weirds it up, but next chapter will definitely put everything back into context and it will address his torn love for the two girls. Hopefully that won't spoil anything for you. Aw, about Naraku, well you know me and my bad-boys… have you watched Bleach? It's got plenty of bad-boys/boys-who-have-cold-hearts and yea. That series makes me go crazy in love. We girls just need our anime guys and a bag of cotton candy, right? Ah, Miroku and Sango. I'd like to think that as time wore on, she wouldn't be as violent, but I'll try out your suggestion. Sorry for not updating sooner T.T

**Roxey: **wow, you're right, I did eventually come up with something and it fits perfectly with the rest of my story, thanks!

**Sphinx: **I'm hoping that Sesshoumaru's feelings are vague-slash-obvious, it just depends how you take it. You're not missing out on anything haha. Does this chapter give you an idea about what Naraku wants Rin for now… ? Um, I'm not sure about the lemons… I don't think so, but would you like one?

**Yumenori: **So what'd your cousin think of my story? Did the plot get more complicated or does this chapter make more sense out of it? Actually I like the whole Shigure annoying Hatori, Hatori making Shigure cry thing haha.

**I love les mangas: **Wow, from France? That's really amazing. I hope you and your daughter enjoy this chapter, sorry for making you wait.

**AmberFox and Lyell: **WOW! 200 reviews! (dorky high five!) Well, I've updated... about three reviews later (sweat-drop)

**KitKat07: **Hey! I UPDATED! HAHA! (cue hysterical laughter) aw thanks, you have no idea how much your review means to me, you're such a popular writer. Even if your story is apparently cliché, it still brings the readers XD

**Special thanks to Amethyst for her email. Um, were you emailing me for this story or for Drivers Release? sweat-drop. Two other people emailed me but I accidentally deleted their emails T.T so thank you so thank you so much whoever you are. It's people with that kind of dedication then really gets me off my ass. **

**Also thanking Demon-Cat-Snowy for taking the effort to nicely point out any errors in my writing and proofing me smile.**

**Whoa! Check out all the love for: g27, rin-almighty-yaoi-lover, Vikki, Female Spike **_(aw come on! The Naraku/Rin is awesome!)_**, Acerbus-chan **_(that's what I keep saying, go Naraku/Rin, all the way! Oh, and Sess/Rin…)_**, My Dream's Shadow, Depressed-dark-rose **_(thanks tonnes)_**, Athana233, niichan626, Vikki, Lauren **_(I hope my meeting explanation worked out for you)_**, Cammy Rammy **_(shame on you, disrupting math!)_**, phoenix, animelover, Iris, polaris-fire-star, ladyrinremix, Crying Doves **_(too true, we are part of the anime lover geek cult…)_**, BittanyBook, Inuchic515 **_(hope my explanation to them meeting does it for you!)_** and babegalanime!**

Reviews and emails **_DO_** make a difference. Please contribute today.


	15. Maybe Truth Got Lost

Disclaimer: it's been a long time since I had to do one of these. Um, I don't own Inuyasha. Is that how it goes? (blink)

**A Cool Kind Of Punishment**

Chapter Fifteen : Maybe Truth Got Lost

He hoped Inuyasha was curled into a ball, dying on his bedroom floor right now.

Wait, scrap that. He hoped Inuyasha was already dead.

How _dare_ he suggest that Rin and he would make the perfect _couple._

It went against all laws of the universe. He was the beautiful, unattainable sex god of Port Street Preparatory damn it! And if he were to be tied down to some stubborn, resourceful, absolutely-cute-when-her-eyebrow-was-twitching girl like her, then –

Sesshoumaru tapped his foot impatiently and leant against the wall at the foot of the stairs.

Ok, so he liked pissing the girl off. There was just something about Higurashi's that did that for him. He remembered what Kikyo said when he admitted that to her…

A door clicked open and Sesshoumaru stood up straight. A young girl walked out and looked over the railing. Her eyes immediately fell upon him and he wondered, what was she thinking? What did she think of her past? His past? He wanted to say so much, but right now, maybe he would let decide her how this was going to pan out.

He thought he saw a flash of longing in her eyes, followed by pure hatred - but no, he must have been mistaken, the look was gone already… His eyes followed her figure as she walked down the stairs. She was looking down to avoid tripping and reaching the bottom of the stairs she looked up. Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to properly introduce himself as a guest…

… but she walked right past him.

Was it something he said?

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_It's the dream of an orphan, to belong somewhere. I don't know why. I have the perfect father, but I am always longing for something more._

_When I try my hardest, I can remember my mother as a beautiful woman, with long hair, and my father as someone who always made her laugh. But maybe that's all in my head._

_And along with that, I created other stories. I was a princess and one day a prince would come for me. My parents weren't truly dead and they'd come back for me one day. That my adoptive father was actually my _**real**_ father, but he couldn't tell because of some federal conspiracy._

_My favourite story was the one where I had somewhere to belong, some place I could call _home.

* * *

"What's for breakfast, dad?" 

My dad was sitting at the kitchen bench, reading a newspaper, obviously staying in on his Sunday off. He pointed to the clock, not taking his eyes of his paper. Midday. I sighed and put the eggs back into the fridge and decided to just make a sandwich.

"You chucked Sesshoumaru out of the house already?"

"Ew, and actually touch him?"

Someone walked into the kitchen. I looked at Sesshoumaru distastefully as he took a seat next to my dad. I poured myself a glass of milk and decided to eat where I was standing. On the other side of the bench. Opposite the Ice Prince.

"Milk," he observed.

I looked at him suspiciously. "What of it?"

"Finally heeding my advice, huh?"

What advice? I ran through last night and remembered him handing me a mug of hot milk. Then the remark about my height. I was confused, that couldn't be what he meant, judging from the smirk on his face. That tiny infinitesimal smirk. I tried harder.

"… _I also hoped that it'd help you produce a better rack… "_

Why that -! I threw my sandwich at him, only to have it hit my dad's newspaper instead. Sesshoumaru got up from his seat but I managed to grab his shirt. I pulled him closer.

"I'll show _you_ what a glass of what hot milk can do…"

I was distantly aware of my father sidling out of the room, clutching his newspaper to his chest like some pitiful form of protection.

Sesshoumaru's jumped onto the bench between us effortlessly and I dropped my hands, stepping back in shock and slight fear. He jumped off to move closer to me and I stepped back, bumping into my fridge.

One Mississippi.

Sesshoumaru's hands flew up to my waist and tugged me so I fell into his arms. My hands held onto his shirt, holding me up.

Two Mississippi.

My hands slowly released their grip and I couldn't imagine how two people could get any closer. Every single part of me ached to be touching him. And every single part of me knew this was something it was willing to die for.

Three Mississippi.

From the buttons to the open collar of his shirt. Past his clavicles up his neck. I dreaded with my whole being to look into his eyes…

… but I did it anyway.

I knew and could feel it happening, but I couldn't stop how my lips parted. I definitely could not stop him from tilting his lips above mine. And I didn't want to.

My eyes closed.

I could feel his nose against my cheek.

My first kiss.

"NO!"

I panicked and pushed him away from me desperately. He stepped back, shocked, into the bench he had so easily moved over. I wished that there was something solid between us. I was panting heavily and I realized I had been holding my breath. I had totally stuffed it. I could've had Sesshoumaru, but instead I chose to push him away. I had been so close.

**So close.**

I licked my lips and as Sesshoumaru moved closer, I laugh harshly.

"What Sesshoumaru? Trying to see if you could have another go?" I asked shakily. He stopped where he was, wary.

"Rin… ? Is there something wrong?" He seemed genuinely confused.

"Wrong?" I laughed again. "God, it doesn't even begin to describe what is going on with me right now! Last night I found out that I have a family. I found out why my parents were so brutally murdered. I have a murderer after me. And all I can think about is _you!_"

The Ice Prince's mask was back in place. Gone was the teenage boy who, moments ago, seemed so eager to kiss me. "Me?"

"Yes. You", I paused for a moment. "I care for you," I said quietly. I looked at him closely to see a reaction, but he wouldn't even look at me. I laughed grimly. "Trust me to get a crush on the most sought-after, unattainable, emotionally unavailable guy at Port Street! And it didn't even take much effort on _your_ part. A night in your room, you patching me up, one dance – _that's_ all it took. You weren't the white knight in shining armor that I had always dreamt of. You seem _nothing_ like the boy at the hospital I fell for when we children. Nothing like him. But I still fell for you… _I- I still fell for you_" I finished softly.

I leant heavily against the fridge, not able to face him.

There, it was out.

"Rin -" he began.

I cut in. "This isn't what you came for. What do you want?"

His eyes flickered up towards my face expectantly. I returned his gaze, somewhat disconcerted.

"What?" I asked edgily.

"Well aren't you supposed to offer me a drink? A seat?" he asked snobbily.

I was both glad and disappointed at how quickly he eased the tense atmosphere. I tittered, annoyed. His eyes told me he was enjoying how uncomfortable I was – regardless of the reason. I walked right past him into the foyer and I heard him following me. I grabbed my jacket from the hook and my wallet and keys from the holder and ushered him outside. I took the moment to bask in his confusion.

"We're going to get a drink in town," I told him as I strolled down the path cheerily.

"I have a car," he told me.

"That's nice," I replied. Probably thinking that I was more than a little messed up in the head, he followed quietly, making sure to stay two to three paces behind me. I lost myself in thought for a while, as I was wont to do when walking. I came back to myself when I started hearing the cars roaring by and the busy buzzing of a weekend. "So why'd you come to visit me?" I asked Sesshoumaru. He stayed quiet, and I gave him time to think as we walked. He was in step with me now and I silently and secretly relished the envious looks I received from female passer-bys. I knew there would be a fresh batch of rumours about Sesshoumaru and I waiting for me as I walked through the school gates tomorrow morning. I kinda liked the thought of that. It wasn't until we paused at a pedestrian crossing, the little red man telling us not to walk across, that Sesshoumaru said something.

"I guess… you're family now. Officially, at least, now that you actually know. That means you have a right to know about us, and all our affairs. I was designated the well-paying job to inform you" he said delicately.

I frowned at him. "They actually paid you to tell me everything?"

"No, it's called sarcasm, Higurashi. I'm sure they'll teach you about it someday in the mental asylum"

"My name isn't Higurashi…"

"So you don't deny needing to be in an asylum?"

"Argh…" came my guttural reply and I punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Stop picking on me!"

"Kikyo never complained"

I fell silent. Thankfully, we had made it to the Candy Kitchen, and I pushed open the door. The bell chimed and a waitress showed us to the cozy booth I usually shared with Pristine and Theresa. I sat down heavily, feeling the air ease out of the red seat. Sesshoumaru sat across me. We made our orders, and as we waited I looked around. I saw some girls from our school from Port Street pointing at Sesshoumaru and giggling behind their hands. Sesshoumaru followed my line of sight and when they saw this, they sent him coy glances that invited him to do much more than buy them some shakes.

"Kikyo was the only one who wanted to tell you everything," Sesshoumaru said suddenly. I spun around to face him sharply, trying to recall what we were talking about before.

"Oh, right," I said lamely.

"She was really upset when it was decided that it should be kept from you. She said that you'd get hurt if you just went around, blindly. So she asked that she go to Port Street, to watch over you. Make sure nothing happened. Of course, Kagome would go with her, as her twin sister. And Inuyasha would follow the both of them, as a protector. I went to another school – Inuyasha and I… we're brothers only by blood" he added.

I decided to stay silent, as he talked. I didn't trust myself to say anything.

"She used to tell me a lot about you. She never talked to you though – because she thought she couldn't be your friend, and not be your cousin as well. She couldn't just see you, and talk to you everyday and smile and act like you were nothing special. So even though she held back, she watched you. When I came home in the holidays she used to bore me silly with how you had a way of smiling if you did well in a test, or how you would always go to your locker because you didn't like carrying too many books in the day. She wanted, more than anything, to be your family"

Our orders arrived and I slurped my strawberry shake loudly, hoping that Sesshoumaru wouldn't notice my sniffing. We ate in silence for a few minutes. I wondered pointlessly if this was my lunch or breakfast. It was around one in the afternoon, but I hadn't broken my fast yet.

Sesshoumaru popped a French fry into his mouth and swallowed. "It was probably around two years ago, that Naraku also entered Port Street Preparatory. Kikyo made it known to the family that she thought it imperative that we tell you. The danger, she said, was too close for us to be able to protect you without your knowledge. But still, we held back. Too many generations of Tsuyame's had died protecting our secret. The least the Izuki's and Higurashi's could do was repay them by protecting the last one of their line – you. We wanted to keep you pure, untainted"

"You kept me the dark so that I could remain this 'pure', this 'untainted' portrait that you imagine of me? I could've been seriously hurt!"

Sesshoumaru looked bored. "And you think us telling you would make a real big difference? At least if we kept it from you, you could have lived happily, without a care in the world. Our families owed you that much at least"

"Oh so all of a sudden it's about debt, huh? Didn't want this big liability over your big corporate heads?" I was suddenly angry at him, his cool demeanour, and his _excuses_ to keep the truth from me. "You know what you and your whole family _owe_ me? You _owe _me my parents. You _owe _me a childhood. You **_owe _**me countless nights sleep – do you know how many weeks my dad stayed up with me because I just kept on having nightmares?" I raged.

"Which was exactly why my father arranged for him to become your adopter. We knew he'd take care of you properly" he said calmly.

I gaped at him. They had influenced my father's decision to adopt me? Had they paid him to care for me? Had they even given him a _choice?_

"You mean… that everything… my father, my home, my life as it is now… it's all fake? You and your family have been controlling it this _whole_ time? You're telling me my father didn't even take me in of his own free _will_?"

"Don't be silly, Rin. If he didn't want you, we couldn't have forced him"

"Money is a pretty good form of persuasion though," I said scathingly.

"If we hadn't taken care of you, where would you be now?" he threw back at me. "All that money spent on your education, the clothes you wear, your living expenses – where do you think it came from? We set up an account for your father, an allowance if you'd like, something to take care of you"

"I'd rather have a poor family rather than a rich life with nothing!" I hissed and ran out of the Candy Kitchen and all the way home.

* * *

God, I hated him. I hated him so much. 

He couldn't even understand! All my life I had been lied to. Nothing seemed real anymore. My parents – murdered because of something that I couldn't care less about. My father – could I even call him that? I had made it to my home, panting with my hair falling in front of my face. I stopped short of stepping onto the little path that led to my front door. Was the house just a payment to my father so that he'd take me in? Was it all an act? The late nights when I had a nightmare, the little dinners I prepared, the laughter, the love – had it all been fake?

I decided I couldn't go back into my home and face my father. I couldn't bear to question the smile he gave, that tone of voice.

_Hey honey, how was your day?_

Ever since I was a young girl…

_Hey, what movie do you wanna watch tonight?_

Everyday…

_You make me so proud…_

I ran.

I took the long route, trying to run away from my sadness, trying to run away from my life. I passed Sesshoumaru's home, and I slowed down to peer in through the large bars at the forbidding house.

"Rin!" I heard a deep voice behind me. I swung around and gasped when I bumped into Sesshoumaru. He held me tightly around my forearms, our chests touching.

"Let go of me" I growled, trying to break free of his strong grasp.

"And what? Let you run around? And what if Naraku found you? I bet you'd be happy to ruin your life for him, right?"

I stared at him wide-eyed and in shock. "Don't you dare…"

"What? Insinuate that you have feelings for Naraku?" He tugged me closer to him. We were both panting heavily. "My father saw what he saw – you _not _fighting against Naraku"

"I hadn't known who he was, or what he had done! Whose fault is that, do you think?" I threw at him carelessly.

"You didn't know? So what, was Kikyo's murder just a little story to keep the little kiddies in line?"

"It wasn't proved…" I whispered. I could feel tears stinging my eyes. Who was he to suddenly attack me like this? If I was such a precious person (more like asset) to the family, then why was he hurting me like this?

"You know as well as I do that it was Naraku who took that knife and sunk it into Kikyo's back" He looked at me seriously. "This is the filth we were – and still are – trying to protect you from"

"A lot of good that did" I muttered.

"Rin," his grip on me tightened slightly, "tell me you don't feel for him"

I gaped at Sesshoumaru. This was my life, and if I had fallen for Naraku, whose fault was it? If I had just **_known_**…

"Who else should I have feelings for?" I flung wildly at him. "You, who have never cared for anyone else? You, who could have absolutely any girl on her knees _begging _for the slightest bit of attention?" Our noses were almost touching and I searched for any signs of hurt or guilt. Not finding any, I continued. "Why not Naraku? He is the only one who has shown even the slightest inclination of being attracted to me. I hadn't even known what he was capable until barely 12 hours ago! Don't blame me for getting into a situation _your _family put me in. Protectors, my ass" I sneered.

Sesshoumaru's fingers dug painfully into my arms and I winced. "Defending him? I should have known a pitiful girl like you would offer herself to anyone"

My breathe hitched but a moment later my eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you care? It's not like I was saving myself for **you.**" His eyes widened and I knew I had shocked him. "I'm not yours" I said furiously and kicked him in the shins. He hissed, letting go of me.

I ran.

A hot tear slid down my cheek and I hurriedly wiped it with the back of my hand. It was in vain however, as more followed. They blurred my vision but trying to stop would only make them come faster, so I allowed them to fall. As I reached the end of the road I heard Sesshoumaru calling my name. I heard other voices too, telling me to stop, but I ignored them.

"Please don't come… don't chase me… I don't want you… leave me alone…" I whispered desperately to myself, crying ever harder.

Lies. That little boy lied to me. Nothing Ms. Kentlyn said could justify it. I had spent my life in search of truth, finding nothing but grief and pain.

**_This is what you get for dreaming_.**

Another tear seared its way down my face.

I couldn't stop running. There was a fierce burning in my calves and my heart was thumping painfully in my chest, but it was a good kind of pain that would heal, that would not betray me. It was real, and it wasn't lying to me. It told me I wasn't dying of grief, not yet at least.

I finally reached my destination and I attempted to fix myself up so I could at least look decent. I patted my hair self-consciously as I heard the doorbell chime. I was aware that I was sweaty, red-cheeked and crying but there were only two people I could think of who could remedy the situation.

The door opened and Pristine stood in the doorway, Theresa standing behind her.

"Rin, what in God's name…" Pristine breathed.

"I felt like a run" I sniffed. "May I come in?"

Both of them stepped back so I come in. I slipped off my dainty flats, wincing at my new blisters.

I heard Theresa make a noise and I looked up to see Pristine looking around the corner furtively. She motioned for us to quietly follow her and we moved up to her bedroom. The door clicked shut behind us. I fell to the floor, my legs curled underneath me.

"I suppose you were so totally overwhelmed by the wonderful weather that you felt you must weep uncontrollably?" Theresa said, somewhat hysterically, breaking the silence.

"Theresa, breathe" Pristine ordered and she knelt down next to me. "What happened?" she whispered, taking my hand in hers.

I looked at Theresa and Pristine, their faces full of genuine concern for me. This friendship, at least, had not been born from money.

I choked on a sob. I felt no need to hold myself back with them. I succumbed to my sadness. I filled the room with heart-wrenching sobs that made my head throb and my nails dig into my palms.

They were there beside me in a flash. Pristine moved me so that my head was in her lap and Theresa put her legs under mine, curling herself around me protectively, her head on my stomach and hands holding me securely.

I wasn't going home, and I didn't think I ever could.

And I wasn't sure I wanted to, either.

* * *

**A/N: **Ah, so how long has it been? Hey, I've improved my time – didn't make you wait eight months this time round! Gahaha. 

If any of you get bored waiting for my next chapter, go read my Naruto story! It's written in a completely different style and has way more pro-relationship moments than this sorry story. And it's pretty much finished, only needs one more chapter!

I want to thank everyone reading this right now for keeping up with this story, despite how long I make you wait every time for another chapter. I **_will_ **finish this story, don't worry. I don't ever plan on canceling this fix, or putting it on hiatus. However, even though I have a lot of Sesshoumaru/Rin ideas, I don't think I can handle another story this long – there's too much thinking involved. Of course, saying that, the Gods of Fate are rewriting my life right now, making it so I write another million of them til the day I die. Happy now?

If you reviewed me while signed in, you should find a reply in your inbox right about now. If you're an anonymous reviewer, I should be thanking you accordingly here:

**Madie-moo: **Ah, the Ayame she-wolf and Kouga… I reckon they're so cute together, but at the same time I reckon Kouga should be with Kagome cause Inuyasha is crappy boyfriend material. I feel mean now. Anyway, Ayame is also one of my favourite Furuba characters, so I added him in

**CrapEmotions: **I've updated… six months later! OMG, I know, Ayame and Shigure are like the ultimate gay-but-not-gay anime icons!

**AnimeLover: **Yup, this time it's only a six month wait. Next time, it'll be four months. Unless I get hit by a bus…

**Brittney: **Yea, I guess it's a madman thing, but they say love in itself is a form of insanity haha. Ok, so to explain the plot, Rin is actually like a descendant of the Higurashi family, and thereby related to Kikyo and Kagome (who were twin sisters). The Izuki's, that is Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, are like a guardian family. The Izuki men protect the Higurashi women who in turn protect the Shikon No Tama from people like Naraku. One day, Naraku's ancestor tried stealing the Shikon No Tama, but Rin's ancestor was a decoy, carrying around a normal stone while Kikyo's and Kagome's ancestors ran away with the Shikon No Tama. Thing is, Rin's ancestor had to keep passing on the fake stone to the next in line to keep the decoy going and thereby protecting the real Shikon No Tama. That's why Rin's parents were killed, and why Rin never knew she was related to the Higurashi's. Her name is Tsuyame because the first ancestors name was Tsuyame, and passed on that name as a last name. I hope you understand… O.o''

**Omg, my outtakes are so lame this time round. Please don't review and tell me they sucked, I don't know _what_ I was thinking…**

**Outtake #1**

He hoped Inuyasha was curled into a ball dying on his bedroom floor right now.

He also hoped that Jakken had remembered to feed his pet goldfish.

**Outtake #2**

I was panting heavily and I realized I had been holding my breath. I had totally stuffed it. I could've had Sesshoumaru, but instead I chose to push him away. I had been so close.

**So close.**

I licked my lips and as Sesshoumaru moved closer, I laugh harshly.

"You may have won the staring contest this time 'round, but I _will_ have my revenge!" I cackled evilly.

Of course, as God would have it, I walked into the fridge, thus ruining my dramatic departure.

_**Dammit!**_

**Outtake #3**

I cut in. "This isn't what you came for. What do you want?"

His eyes flickered upwards towards my face expectantly. I returned his gaze, somewhat disconcerted.

"What?" I asked edgily.

Sesshoumaru looked around furtively, making sure no-one was around. He leaned in closer and motioned for me to do the same.

"What shampoo do you use?"

**I heard that reviewing is worth two good kharma points. Five if it's a nice, big, long one telling me how cool I am.**


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